HistoryFrom 1839 to 1843 a whaling station was sited near the neck Tautuku Peninsula's neck. A port was later developed for the fishing, flax and timber industries which were operating in the area. From 1913 sawmills transported timber over the Maclennan Range via tramways which connected to the railway line. The Tautuku School first opened in 1911. The second Tautuku School was located at Clarke's Mill, near to what is now the entrance to the Tautuku boardwalk, and continued to operate until 1947. Today, the area is largely covered in regenerated bush, and southern right whales are slowly making a come back. These can occasionally be spotted around the Peninsula or in the bay.
