[4] European settlement began on 29 June 1863 by a group of German-speaking migrants from Staab (modern Stod) in Bohemia, now in the Czech Republic, under the leadership of Captain Martin Krippner.

[citation needed] The first settlers to Puhoi were transported up the river by Māori in 1863.

[5] The original settlers were all of the Roman Catholic faith and one of the first things they turned their attention to was constructing a church.

This was completed in 1881 and dedicated to Saints Peter and Paul whose feast day in the Catholic calendar falls on 29 June, the date of the arrival of the first settlers.

There is a museum which occupies premises that were originally built as the Catholic primary school (1923–1964).

The results were 94.0% European (Pākehā); 8.3% Māori; 3.8% Pasifika; 3.8% Asian; 3.8% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 2.3% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander".

[8] Puhoi Valley statistical area, which also includes Kaipara Flats and Mahurangi West, covers 236.49 km2 (91.31 sq mi)[1] and had an estimated population of 4,160 as of June 2024,[10] with a population density of 18 people per km2.

The results were 89.7% European (Pākehā); 9.7% Māori; 4.9% Pasifika; 4.1% Asian; 1.3% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 3.4% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander".

[12] The Puhoi Town Library, one of the smallest in New Zealand, was established in 1923 in what was originally the Districts Road Board Office (built 1913).

[14] In the "Great Flood" of 1924 it was filled with 6 ft of silt, and its contents destroyed – the water level is marked on the building.

[citation needed] The library was damaged again in the 2023 Auckland Anniversary Weekend floods with repairs and upgrades due to begin in November 2024 estimated to take a year to complete.

The park features a walking track, which climbs a ridge to a lookout, offering views of the village below.