HistoryGold was discovered at Waipori Falls in 1861 and it quickly became a settlement of activty with 11 hotels, restuarants, and dance-halls. God-dredging was pioneered at Waipori Falls and a reserve south of Lake Mahinerangi preserves the remnants of otago's first underground quartz mine. The original township was submerged beneath Lake Mahinerangi during the development of the Waipori hydro-power scheme in 1925. The Waipori Falls Electric Power Compnay began a hydro-electric scheme in 1902 but the Dunedin City Council purcahsed the operations in 1904. In 1907 a workers' village was built and works began producing power in the same year.
Subsequently, four power stations have been added to the system which provides 25% of the power needs of Dunedin city. For economic reasons the workers' village was clsoed in 1991 along with the primary school and shop. A developer purchased the village and sold the houses into private ownership. Today most properties are used as cribs.
