Tauwhare Pa, located next to Ohiwa Harbour at Ohope Beach, Whakatane, is a must see Maori culture and history attraction. It is a preserved pre-European Maori occupation site, one of the oldest pa sites in the area.
It was built by Te Hapuoneone, an ancient tribe from which many of today's iwi descend.
The name Tauwhare implies 'the village suspended in space'. When viewed from the bottom of the southern end of the pā, the village gives this impression.
Tauwhare Pa close to Ohiwa, the open coast and the forest. Its proximity to abundant food resources made it an extremely valuable site.
From the pa terraces you can view across Ohope and Ohiwa Harbour.
The area is easily accessible with a small trek only minutes from the Ohope - Opotiki road. The parking for the pa site is just around the corner from Ohope Beach.
In times of occupation houses and a marae or meeting-house were positioned in the heavily defended top terraces. The lower terraces were used for cooking houses and drying fish.