Sea levels began to rise 7,000 years ago, after which the island was separated from the rest of New Zealand.

[1] There is evidence that the island was the site of early activity of New Zealand's first Māori settlers on their arrival around 1300AD, principally by the discovery of a tropical pearl shell lure in 2001.

Numerous moa bone blanks used by early East Polynesian settlers for making fish hooks have also been found.

About 217ha (95 per cent) of the island was later set up as a resort by the Needham family, Abe and Nora and their 14 children.

The television programme Grand Designs New Zealand featured the building of a new house on this land in October 2017.