Meremere is a settlement built up around the Meremere power station, on the east bank of a curve in the Waikato River, on State Highway One, 5km south of Mercer, 30km northwest of Huntly, and 64km southeast from Auckland. The Meremere coal-fired steam power station was the first in the country (Huntly has the second). The site for the station was chosen because of the proximity of the Waikato River, and of the Maramarua coalfield from which two-thirds of the station's 800,000 tonnes annual coal requirement. Commenced in 1956, the station was put into commission in 1958 with six machines. A seventh machine was added in 1967. In 1991 the station was mothballed, but is still able to be commissioned at short notice.

About 1000 Waikato supporters of the Maori 'King Movement' occupied ridges behind the Meremere landing in1863. For ammunition they Maoris were forced to improvise with projectiles filched from pakeha stores, scrap iron, long nails, scaleweights, bullock chains and the like.

As at Mercer, the Maoris, tactic was to delay the advance of the British Troops into the Waikato, while the massive earthworks and huge parapets were being constructed further south at Rangiriri. On 6th August 1863, from the Meremere position, the first shots were fired. The Maoris were driven off, leaving the gateway into the Waikato open. General Cameron's troops occupied the ridge and built a rebout on the highest point. The remains of the earthworks of this position can still be seen just off the main highway immediately south of the Meremere settlement.