[1] The mouth of the river is the tidal Waiwera Estuary, which is dominated by mangroves.

[2] Mahurangi Island is found in the Hauraki Gulf at the mouth of the river.

[4][5] It was traditionally known as Awa Waiwerawera,[5] and was used as a way to access the inland ara (walking tracks) by waka.

[5] An area of the southern shores was purchased by Scottish entrepreneur Robert Graham from Ngāti Rongo in 1844, where he established the Waiwera Hot Pools.

The hot pools became a popular tourist destination in the 1870s, and people would be ferried to the resort along the river by John Sullivan, an early pioneer in the area.