George Beamish came to Whana Whana in 1878 and farmed 18,600 acres until 1906 when the Otamauri block was sold.  The family originally settled down by the Ngaruroro River, however rising river levels and flooding forced them onto higher ground.  The present Whana Whana homestead was completed in 1903.  The timber was milled at Willowflat along the Mohaka River and was back loaded to Whana on the wool wagons.  The stock piling of Kauri, Rimu, Totara and Matai took 3 years.  In 1910, 10,000 acres were divided into Whana Whana, Kohatunui and Awapai for George’s three sons.  Blue Creek was cut off Whana in 1950 and later divided into Blue Creek and Windrush for the Helmore brothers. The following is a quote from the New Zealand Freelance, July 8, 1953.  “Sometimes a Maori place-name springs from a legend and Whana Whana is a case in point.  In olden days the Maoris, it is said, were bringing a taniwha across country towards Lake Taupo.  The animal was roped by all four legs and had to walk that way, unable to escape.  At a particular point the taniwha refused to co-operate any longer and lay down struggling to free itself.  It was then the Maoris used the phase whana whana – to kick or struggle – and this place name is still in existence today.” Today's Whana Walk Hawkes Bay walking track takes you across Awapai and Waitata (the back block of Kohatunui) which was once part of the original Whana Whana station.