Okauia is a rural settlement and community located east of Matamata, in the Waikato region of New Zealand's North Island.

The New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage gives a translation of "place of articles threaded on a stick" for Ōkauia.

[5] Wairere Falls, the highest waterfall in the North Island, is northeast of Okauia.

[8] In 1879 about 30,000 acres (12,000 ha) at Okauia[9] was divided, largely to F A Whittaker and Josiah Firth.

[10] In 1896 the government bought the 6,528 acres (2,642 ha) Okauia section of Firth's Matamata estate,[11] under the Land for Settlements Acts,[12] and started selling it to settlers in 1898.

[16] A school, at the east end of Okauia Springs Road[17] opened early[18] in 1909.

[26] A creamery opened in October 1909,[27] to the east, on Old Te Aroha Road.

[29] In 1919 plans were made for a residential development,[30] where the 18-hole, 100 acres (40 ha) golf course[31] (opened in 1935)[32] now is.

[33] The Thames Valley Electric Power Board extended their lines to Okauia in 1923.

[49] Okauia settlement is in two SA1 statistical areas, which cover 54.56 km2 (21.07 sq mi).

Before the 2023 census, the statistical area had a larger boundary, covering 120.03 km2 (46.34 sq mi).

[51] Okauia Springs were part of the geothermal taonga of Ngāti Hinerangi, but by 1880 Okauia No.5 block, containing the Ramaroa spring, was sold into private ownership, with a verbal agreement between the owner and the iwi that they could continue to use it.

However, by 1920 the block had been sold to a new owner, and despite protest to the Crown, Ngāti Hinerangi had to pay to use the spring.

[52] J. C. Firth opened Opal (Okauia) and Crystal (Papahuia) springs.

[57] A sample at Okauia in 1994 measured a temperature of 39 °C (102 °F) and a higher level of bicarbonate than most springs.