Maratoto is a Māori word meaning "the rock of blood". It refers to a Māori legend about a group of warriors who were cornered on a rocky pinnacle in the valley, and flung themselves over the bank to avoid being captured.[2]
By the 19th century, Ngāti Tamaterā had established a pā on the banks of the Maratoto Stream. It was called Hikutaia, which translates as "the end of the tide".[2]
European settlers arrived in the area in the mid-19th century, most of the from Ireland. A small settlement sprung up around the Pioneer Hotel, which provided accommodation and alcohol for gold-miners passing through by stage coach. Gum-diggers cleared much of the local Kauri forest, and a local butcher set up a shop inside the hollow interior of an enormous kauri stump.[2]
A telegraph line was completed 1872, ending the need for messages to be couriered to other settlements.[3]
A Englishman pig-hunter discovered gold in the area while wrestling a pig into the creek.[2] Richard McBrinn made a further gold discovery in the area in 1987; the McBrinn Creek is named after him.[4]
Many people came to the area to mine gold and silver, including unusual characters like the South American Black Doctor.[2]
ANew South Wales gold-mining syndicate operated a mining company in the valley between 1888 and 1891. Their find was credible, but it was processed at a loss due to the cost of developing the site.[4]
An Auckland syndicated established a company n the valley in 1898, installing a 15 head stamp battery and cyanide plant. It received Government funding and crushed ore for neighbouring mines.[4]
Three tracks are accessible via Coromandel Forest Park:
Maratoto Wires Track follows the old telephone track through the valley, and takes about three hours one way.[1] Part of the track is used by four wheel drivers, with restrictions in place to stop the spread of Kauri dieback.[6] The track includes slippery clay, a steep incline, and an exposed summit at the top of the ridge.[3]
Golden Cross Track connects with the Wires Track and goes through a regenerating forest in an old mining and farming area.[7]
The Maratoto to Wentworth Crossing is a five-hour walk for experienced trampers, connecting to the Wentworth Falls Walk, Wentworth Valley and Whangamatā on the eastern side of the park.[8]
There are 11 climbing routes.[5] The routes are mostly suited to sport climbing, with lots of exposure and views.[9]
