In February 2023 Puketapu was severely affected by flooding from Cyclone Gabrielle. Water from the Tutaekuri River rose above homes and damaged much of the agricultural land.
Timikara Marae and Te Whānau Pani meeting house is a meeting place of Ngāti Hinepare and Ngāti Māhu.
Wharerangi Marae and Manahau meeting house is a meeting place of Tāwhao and Ngāti Hinepare.[1][2] The new Manahau meeting house opened in 2022.[3]
In October 2020, the Government committed $6,020,910 from the Provincial Growth Fund to upgrade a group of 18 marae, including the four Puketapu marae. The funding was expected to create 39 jobs.[4]
Education
Puketapu School is a co-educational state primary school,[5] with a roll of 256 as of November 2024.[6][7]