Te Pirirākau is one of many hapū (sub-tribes) of the Ngāti Ranginui Iwi (tribe) of Tauranga Moana. Their people are generally recognised as descendants of the Takitimu waka. The customary Pirirākau boundaries extend from the Wairoa River on the east, to the Waipapa River, just to the west of Omokoroa, and from the Tauranga Harbour to the top of the Kaimai Range. The area traditionally includes Te Puna, Minden, Plummers Point, Omokoroa and Whakamarama.

The cycle route which traverses the rohe (area) of Pirirākau, is made up of both new and existing off-road shared paths and local road connections that conveniently, provides a link between the growing township of Omokoroa and Tauranga’s existing urban cycleway network and is an alternative transport choice to the busy State Highway 2 corridor that connects the area to Tauranga CBD and beyond.

It will also become a key part of a tourist cycle trail from Waihi to Maketu in the Western Bay of Plenty which Te Ara Tourism have been fortunate to base their venture on.