The remote settlement was once on a Māori track cutting across the tribal boundaries of Ngāti Kahungunu and Ngāti Tūwharetoa, two tribes who had made peace after a conflict. The modern settlement began as a hotel for travellers in the 1870s, when the original Napier to Taupo coach road was being cut through what was then a dense forest.[2]
Two wind farms were approved for the area in 2006, despite some opposition from local residents.[3]
Education
Te Pohue School is co-educational state primary school,[4] with a roll of 18 as of February 2024.[5][6]
Climate
Climate data for Esk Forest, elevation 427 m (1,401 ft), (1981–2010)