The geyser gave its name to the surrounding geothermal region, the Waimangu Volcanic Rift Valley.

Joseph Perry of the Limelight Department of the Salvation Army filmed the Waimangu Geyser in action.

[5] The lake's shallow depth was attributed to much of the ejected solid material falling back into the vent each time.

On 30 August 1903,[9] New Zealand rugby international Joe Warbrick, David McNaughton, and sisters Ruby and Catherine Nicholls were killed after venturing close to the edge of the geyser, having ignored requests from Warbrick's brother Alfred to return to a safe distance.

While it was hypothesized that this was the cause for the extinction of the geyser,[11] later studies found no apparent physical connection between these two events.