Rural settlement west of Hastings. 19th-century politician Donald McLean owned a pastoral station at Maraekakaho, which his son Douglas subdivided for closer settlement in the early 20th century. The township is clustered around a primary school and community hall. The surrounding district contains pastoral farms, lifestyle blocks, orchards, vineyards and wineries.
Meaning of place name
Marae: courtyard or meeting area; kakaho: the culm of the toetoe. Kakaho were once abundant in the area.
