A Māori fortified pā there played a key role in an internal struggle for the South Island Ngāi Tahu tribe in the early 19th century.

Between 1873 and 1885, the island hosted a quarantine station, which was also used as a temporary prison for members of the Parihaka Māori settlement in Taranaki.

[3] In 1880 the quarantine buildings were used as a prison, notably for members of the Parihaka Māori settlement in Taranaki during its passive resistance campaign against the surveying and selling of its land by the government.

However, at the first test shot the recoil system failed, with the result that the barrel cracked and most of the rest of the gun was damaged and was returned to England for repairs.

Fort Jervois is classed as a Category I historic place by Heritage New Zealand,[5] and has been considered "actively managed" by the Department of Conservation.

Remedial repairs were made, and the island reopened in November 2019,[8] with public ferry services from Lyttelton wharf resuming in 2020.