The top of the harbour has a number of settlements with a rich history including:
Horeke
- Mangungu Mission House
- Chapel at Mangungu
- First Commercial Shipyard in New Zealand
- The Oldest Headstones in New Zealand
- The Base of McDonnell
- New Zealand's first Pub
- New Zealand's first Post Office
- New Zealand’s first murder trial
- Omahuta Kauri Sanctuary
- Puketi Forest
- Residency of Baron de Thierry
- Wairere Boulders
- William Webster of Wairere
- New Zealand’s First Timber Mills
The smaller settlements in the area include Motukiore, Utakura and Mangungu.