Maori attribute the creation of Nelson Lakes to Rākaihautū, an explorer and a founding ancestor of the old southern iwi (tribe) Waitaha. According to Ngāi Tahu tradition, he was leading the first populations to the South Island (and Te Waipounamu) in his canoe Uruao. Rākaihautū is believed to have entered near the city of Nelson in Whakatu and worked his way down south. With his kō, a digging stick, he created many holes along the way that would later be filled to become the great lakes of the South Island.
Starting with Nelson Lakes, he journeyed down towards the Foveaux Strait creating Lake Manapouri and Te Anau along the way. Rākaihautū had filled these holes with kai (food) such as freshwater fish, birds and mussels for his following companions. In fact, the lakes have always been a valuable food source for local Maori traveling to the west coast searching for greenstone. This is the reason why the territory's right of ownership was long disputed between different iwi.
Following Captain Cook's call, Charles Heaphy, Thomas Brunner and William Fox alongside Maori-guide Kehu discovered the lakes on their expedition through the Ngāi Tahu territory in 1846. The first European settlers that followed into the region were shepherds in Canterbury as well as in Tasman. By the edge of the 20th century, Nelson Lakes had already earned a name as holiday destination and the first hotel was built soon later. The settlement of Rotoiti had already existed around that time but was renamed to Saint Arnaud in 1951. Five years later in 1956, Nelson Lakes National Park was officially opened.