The village lies in the Te Mata Stream valley, which is the main tributary of the Opotoru River. Nearly all the rocks in the area are volcanic, the exception being chert (see History), though it is not marked on the geological map. The village is on Okete Volcanics, on a flat area on formed by volcanic damming, with Karioi Volcanics on the higher land immediately to the west. Some basaltic scoria includes iron oxide bands with up to 51.74% iron content.