Extensive forests and abundant waterways once featured around Whakapara.� The Waiariki River and falls located in the Puhipuhi hills are especially significant to tangata whenua.� Although many travelers bypass Whakapara on their route south or north on SH1, taking the turn-off at Puhipuhi Rd leads to the Whakapara marae, St Isaac's church, the old native school, forestry HQ site, mercury and silver mines and Cornstock Hotel.� There is also a large rock of great significance to tangata whenua found just north of the Puhipuhi turnoff on SH1.� It was a place where people stopped on long journeys in the past to drink from the river close by as well as a resting place for tupapaku (bodies) when whanau were taking them to their final resting place.

The area was thickly forested and Whakapara was once a thriving timber town featuring large sawmills.� Whakapara has its own post office, telephone office and rail station.� There was also a boarding house originally started as a hotel, but with Hukerenui and Hikurangi close by it was refused a licence.

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