The most recent reports both come from 1898, one describing a large reptile seen near Gisbourne, the other a huge creature akin to a monitor lizard which threatened a bushman in Arowhana before retreating into a Rata tree.
Part of the backbone of the range, which forms part of a line of mountains extending across much of the North Island, 1440 metre (4724 ft) Arowhana is second only to Mount Hikurangi in terms of height within the Raukumara Range.