The southern edge of the park is Waihihi Bay, which was a landing site of the Tainui migratory waka.

Settled for a prolonged period during the pre-colonial era, Waharau was renowned for known for its paper mulberry (aute) and karaka groves.

[3] From the 1860s, the area was a site of kauri tree logging by early European settlers.

[3] The area was purchased by the Auckland Regional Authority between 1970 and 1973, in order to provide vehicle access to the eastern water catchment of the Hunua Ranges.

It was later developed into a regional park, and opened by Te Atairangikaahu, the Māori queen, in 1979.