On 27 June 1860 the British suffered a heavy defeat near Waitara. The Te Atiawa chief Hapurona had strengthened defences on the twin pa sites of Puketakauere and Onukukaitara, which could be seen from Camp Waitara.
Memorial in Waitara Historic Cemetery to members of the British forces killed at Puketakauere pā on 27 June 1860 and at Matarikoriko on 29 December 1860.
Like many sites associated with the New Zealand Wars, today’s view from Puketakauere Pa towards the town of Waitara appears as no more than another piece of farmland
