[3] The village lies in the Te Mata Stream valley, which is the main tributary of the Opotoru River.

Nearly all the rocks in the area are volcanic, the exception being chert (see History), though it is not marked on the geological map.

Chert tools from the area have been identified at 18 sites from Manukau South Head to Awakino.

The Raglan County history said, "On 22 March 1851, eighteen chiefs of Ngati-Mahanga and Ngati-Hourua, headed by William Naylor, sold to Queen Victoria for the sum of £400 (modern equivalent about $50,000)",[9] 19,680 acres (7,960 ha) of country bordering on the southern shores of the harbour.

The western boundary of the Whaingaroa Block, as it came to be known, began at Putoetoe (the point on which the town of Raglan now stands) and followed the Opotoru Stream inland.

Leaving that stream at its junction with the Hutewai, the line ran south beyond Te Mata to a point "marked by a hole dug by the side of the path to Aotea.

"[10] An 1855 traveller through Pukerangi (2 mi (3.2 km) north of Te Mata) wrote, "We found some English settlers in the open spaces, formerly cleared by the natives, as we walked through the forest: one family of the name of McArthur, another Phillips from Bath, another Day.

We stopped half-an-hour after sunset at one of these "saltus," called Mata, where Rota and our lads had proceeded; and pitched our tent in a beautiful spot, where I expect to see, in five years' time, a fair population, and perhaps a Church.

"[13] The only stingray fatality recorded in New Zealand occurred at Te Mata in 1938, when 18-year old Jessie Merle Laing was struck in the chest.

[20] At its 2 January 1872 meeting, the Karioi Board decided to call for tenders to form the Te Mata-Raglan road in the worst places.

[12] By 1880 Te Mata Rd was described as "a more than ordinarily good road", with the bush "felled for some distance on either hand" and "several well cultivated farms".

From March 1922 a two and a half hour, Pakoka Landing to Frankton, via Te Mata, "Silver Trail", bus service started, with a motor launch connection to Kawhia on Fridays.

In 1938 a Western Highways bus ran from Kawhia to Auckland via Makomako, Te Mata, Waingaro and Tuakau and back the next day.

In 1946 Brosnan Motors started a daily run, leaving Kawhia at 5.45am, arriving at Auckland at 1pm, returning at 2 pm.

From 1 October 1950 until after 1983, Robertsons had a 9am bus to Raglan, which left mail at Te Uku en route.

[33] All Saints Anglican Church was designed by Thomas Cray and cost £800, mainly raised by Te Mata Ladies Guild.

[35] The Catholic Church of the Holy Redeemer in Te Mata was built of rimu and cost £600 to build.

[37] There was also George Saunders' mill at Te Hutewai built about 1908 and powered by a water wheel, fed from a dam which is still there.

[12] Local farmers formed Kauroa Saleyards Society in 1977, when the yards were threatened with closure,[37] and continue[40] to hold sales.

[12] About 1880 the first telephone line to connect Kawhia with Hamilton came via Waitetuna, Kauroa and Te Mata.

[45] The school opened in 1877, built from prefabricated immigrants cottages, which had been shipped to Raglan in 1874, and later hauled to Te Mata by John Galvan's bullock team.

[46] Schools formerly existed at Kauroa (1907[37] until amalgamated with Raglan 1941),[33] Makomako (1926[47]-after 1973), Pakihi (1935[48]-1960-ish),[citation needed] Pakoka (1915–19),[49] Raorao (1844 - 1904,[50] or 1907),[51] Ruapuke and Te Hutewai (1924[52]-1958).