In his book Early History of the Wairarapa, Charles Bannister relates the tale of the taniwha hole. The location of the hole is given as Kaikokirikiri which would mean somewhere near the Mahunga Golf Course in Masterton. The occupant of the said hole was a giant flounder or patiki. Maori it seems would avoid the place, especially in the evenings because to see the patiki was a bad omen that would more than likely lead to death. Nowadays there are no deep holes or patiki along the indicated stretch of the Waipoua in fact the only things you are likely to find behind Mahunga are lost golf balls.
