Katikati Township was settled in 1875 by settlers from County Tyrone in Ireland through the Orange Institution. The settlement was established by the Irishman George Vesey Stewart, who led two groups of settlers there aboard the ships Carisbrook Castle (1875) and Lady Jocelyn (1878).
The land upon which the town was built was confiscated from local Maori after the land wars, and was given to the settlers by the Central Government. The settlement was formed from two distinct groups 'the settlers useful and the settlers ornamental' referring to the tenant farmers and those with wealth. The Katikati Heritage Museum has an interesting display of those days gone by.
Katikati today is known for its many murals painted on walls of commercial buildings. This started in the 1990s as a project to regenerate tourist interest in the town and district. Katikati is located 25 km from Tauranga and 28km south of Waihi. It is a lovely place to visit all year round.