The dramatic landscapes were formed 2-3 million years ago when the sea floor was uplifted and tilted in stages. Many marine fossils remain in areas on the peak and around Tauroa.

Tauroa Farm Station and the surrounding land is associated with the ancestor Te Rehunga of Ngāti Ngarengare, a sub-tribe of Ngāti Kahungunu. The area, particularly the higher parts of the park have strong Maori relevance and there is evidence of past settlements, including pā sites and other such earthworks.

In 1862, John Chambers was the first European settler to own and farm Tauroa. This 18,000 acrea area also included Te Mata Estate Winery and the land along Waimārama Road and the Tukituki River.