Māori history During the mid-18th century,
Ngāti Whātua peoples of
Northland migrated south to the Kaipara Harbour. The northern and eastern Kaipara, including Wellsford, were controlled by
Te Uri-o-Hau, a Ngāti Whātua tribal grouping led by Haumoewhārangi. Ngāti Rongo developed as a
hapū in the area through the union between Haumoewhārangi's granddaughter Moerangaranga and Maki's son Ngāwhetu, Te Uri-o-Hau, including the hapū Ngāti Mauku and Ngāti Tahuhu, lived seasonally along the Oruawharo River. In the 1820s during the
Musket Wars, the eastern Kaipara was depopulated, as people sought refuge in other parts of the country. Wellsford was originally known by the name Whakapirau, In 1885, the Crown purchased the Pakiri Block from Ngāti Manuhiri, an area that included the areas immediately adjacent to Wellsford. In 1979, Irwin Industrial Tools was established in Wellsford, constructing circular saw-blades and growing to be a major local employer, before closing in 2009. The local Ōruawharo Marae is a traditional meeting ground for
Te Uri-o-Hau and the
Ngāti Whātua hapū of
Ngāti Mauku and
Ngāti Tahuhu. It includes the Rangimārie meeting house. In 1990, the
Albertland Heritage Museum opened in Wellsford. By the 21st century, tourism and lifestyle blocks has increasingly drawn people to Wellsford. and housing developments in the 2020s have been predicted to increase the size of the town by more than 800 houses. ==Demographics==