The original Pohe Island lay off Riverside Drive and was within Ngati Kahu O Torongare territory. Wiremu Pohe was a chief of Ngati Kahu. He was also related closely to the hapu of Parawhau whose territory lies on the eastern side of the Hatea River or the Port Road side of the river.
Pohe is the chief who welcomed the first English settlers to Whangarei. He was very skilled in manufacturing fish hooks using traditional materials and styles. His hooks were so practical, many of the settlers used his hooks in preference to the standard English hooks made of steel. Pohe was also instrumental in building bridges between the two cultures during the first years of English settlement amongst Maori. Pohe used his ranking to protect many of the first settlers from being killed.