Opononi and Ōmāpere are two tourist-oriented towns at the southwest end of Hokianga Harbour. They are linked by State Highway 12, which runs along the harbour's south side, with Opononi north of Ōmāpere. Although they are separate towns, they are all but connected by housing developments overlooking the highway and coast. Both have beautiful white to gold sand beaches and piers, substantial accommodation facilities, shops, cafes, and restaurants. On the far side are the stunning 150-metre-high dunes that mark the Hokianga Harbour entrance.
The land along the south coast was initially acquired for farming. John Martin arrived in Hokianga in 1827 on the ship Governor Macquarie. Some local Māori were unhappy with the new arrivals, but a young Māori woman, Kiriora, swam to the ship and warned Martin. They married and subsequently purchased land along the beach at Ōmāpere in 1832. Subsequently, John Webster bought land in 1855 at Opononi. These interests were retained for decades, while other developments were relatively gradual. At Opononi, Webster added a store, a kauri gum trading post and a pier. Martin and Kiriora added land at Hokianga Harbour's South Head and built a signal station to guide ships over the Hokianga bar, protecting thousands of lives. This operated until 1951.
By 1876, more services, including a hotel, were around Ōmāpere, and Martin’s farm had become the hamlet of Pakia. But Ōmāpere was the preferred name, formally adopted in 1874. In 1894, Webster sold his land at Opononi, and the gum store became a hotel. In the 1930s, the towns were also linked by the highway, making development along the coast easier.
As a tourist destination, impetus came from Opo, a bottlenose dolphin who socialised with children at the beach in 1955/6. Opo was initially named Opononi Jack as a nod to another famous dolphin, Pelorus Jack. As with Pelorus Jack, there was also a mythical connection with Kupe, the Polynesian discoverer of Aotearoa, NZ, who first arrived in Hokianga. A dolphin was Kupe’s messenger and expected to return in times of trouble. There is a statue memorial to Opo, and the gravesite is marked in front of the Opononi War Memorial Hall.