Whatawhata, previously also spelt Whata Whata, is a small town in the Waikato region on the east bank of the Waipā River, at the junction of State Highways 23 and 39, 12 km (7.5 mi) from Hamilton.

[3] Whatawhata was a Ngāti Māhanga village[4] and there are still Te Papa-o-Rotu and Ōmaero maraes on the west bank of the river.

[5] In early colonial times Whatawhata was one of many sites in Waikato with a flour mill.

[8] The area must have been suited to wheat, for there was another mill about 4 km (2.5 mi) downstream, at Karakariki, by 1860.

[9] British troops arrived at Whatawhata over land and by river, as part of the Invasion of the Waikato, on 28 December 1863.

[10] Whatawhata was described as having no end of peach trees, which the soldiers stripped of their fruit.

[12] A 1915 guide described Whatawhata as, "six miles from Frankton Junction, along a good metalled road.

Coaches run to and from Frankton Junction daily, the fares being 2/- single and 3/6 return.

Small steamers ply up and down the river from Huntly, the waters being navigable as far up as Pirongia.

Whatawhata was in the early days an important Maori centre, having at one time a native population of over a thousand.

"[13] Since then the post office has been replaced by a petrol station and dairy, the coach has become 4 per day and the river is rarely disturbed by any craft.

[18] It produced 9,272 tons in 1945 from a 10 ft (3.0 m) seam, employing 6 miners and 5 surface workers.

[20] The coal was sub-bituminous with a fairly high calorific value, but was largely worked out by the 1970s,[21] when Hamilton gasworks closed.

[23] An 1880 guide said, "It is about ten miles distant from Hamilton, but a sum of money has been voted for making a direct road through a large swamp, which will bring the Hamilton station within six miles of the township.

The road to Raglan crosses the, Waipā River here, and a bridge will shortly be built, when the ferry, which is now worked by natives, will be done away with.

Heavy goods, such as timber, wire and manure, are brought up by the Waikato Steam Navigation Company's steamers.

The school-house and teacher's residence, erected a short time ago (1877) by the Board of Education, the settlers contributing largely towards them, are excellent buildings .

runs right round the township"[24] A post office opened in 1868, burnt down in 1913 and was rebuilt in 1915.