State Highway 3 and the Marton - New Plymouth Line railway run through the town.

[3][4] Waverley was an important colonial stronghold during the New Zealand Wars of the 1860s, during which time the town was called Wairoa.

The race horse Kiwi was trained in the paddocks of a Waverley sheep farm by owner Snow Lupton and went on to go from last on the final bend to win the 1983 Melbourne Cup.

[5][6] The Waipipi onshore ironsand mine operated near Waverley from 1971 to 1987, producing a total of 15.7 million tonnes of concentrate for export.

Waverley has a number of cafes and coffee shops and is a popular place for tourists to stop for a break before entering the Taranaki region.

These services include being able to register your dog, pay your rates or inquire about obtaining a building permit.

Other services include a Tot Time for the under 5s and bookclub catering to intermediate and high school age children.

The LibraryPlus also has three APN computers, offering free internet and Skype to the public.

Also there are well kept tennis courts and on Brassey St there is a small dirt jump track for push bikes.

[14] Waverley High School closed on 20 April 2007,[15] after its NCEA assessments were found to be unreliable.