e Kaha, once a dairying area, is today a flourishing horticultural centre. Up to the 1920s whaling was also important. The local Whanau-a-Apanui people had their own whaling business and used to row out from shore in pursuit of migrating whales (the last was hand-harpooned here in 1925). For many years two ribs from a whale formed an archway in front of a local church, but these have now been moved to the Whakatane Museum.

From Te Kaha it is only a drive of nine kilometres to Omaio. Here the Haparapara River (which joins the Waikakariki River before flowing into Omaio Bay) is considered to be of particular importance by biologists as it is now the only major river in the country without introduced fish. This gives them an opportunity to study freshwater fauna, such as the galaxid fishes, unaffected by foreign competition.

It is less than 10 kilometres from Omaio to the Motu, the principal river of the region. One meaning of Motu is "isolated" and it certainly is, rising in the rugged Raukumaras and winding its tortuous way to the sea through some of the most rugged, trackless bush found anywhere. The river provides canoeing and rafting trips and once each year a run of kahawai occurs off the river mouth, and the Maori still gather here to catch them.

Although game was late arriving here, it is now prolific and causing extensive damage to the bush in the hinterland. Massive slips and erosion have resulted, causing great amounts of sediment to flow into the Motu, killing off much of the aquatic life. Red deer, pigs, goats and feral cattle are all found, along with countless numbers of possums and this area is now a popular destination for hunters. The pigs are particularly sought after, but any resemblance between these animals and the domesticated Landrace or Tamworth is remote indeed.