Oriental Bay

Oriental Bay is a bay and suburb of Wellington, the capital city of New Zealand. Noted for being both an incredibly popular beach and a luxurious centre of affluence in the city,[2] it is located close to the Central Business District on Wellington Harbour.

Oriental Bay
Suburb
Oriental Bay, the Tararuas in the far distance
Oriental Bay
Oriental Bay
Coordinates: 41°17′30″S 174°47′40″E
CountryNew Zealand
Local authorityWellington City
Population
 (2013)[1]
 • Total1,056
Wellington Harbour
Mount Victoria and Te Aro
Oriental Bay
 Roseneath
Wellington town belt

Nicknamed "the Riviera of the South" across the world as well as locally, It has the closest beach to the central city and is thus a common destination for locals and vistors to Wellington alike, who swarm here especially in the warmer months (December to March).[3][4] Painted ladies and other historic houses, such as those in distinctly Wellingtonian streamline moderne style, are promiment alongside and up into the hills that face the bay. Situated against the northern slope of Mount Victoria, the suburb lies 1.5 kilometres southeast of the city centre, at the start of a coastal route which continues past Hataitai around Evans Bay. Originally named Duppa Bay, after its sole original resident George Duppa, in 1843 it was rechristened after one of the first ships to bring settlers to Wellington- the Oriental. Originally described as a remote "dreary-looking spot" of rocks lying between cliffs and the sea used primarily for quarantining foreigners,[5] it has undergone considerable renovation since colonisation's early stages. Many landmarks were built over the 20th century, such as the grand streamlined moderne houses like the Olympus building and the Anscombe Apartments, and the modernist Freyberg pool built in the 1960s (which jets out onto the harbour and is named about Lord Freyberg, who adored the beach as a young man). [6] However, the beach's greatest renovation came in 2004, when 22,000 tonnes of sand was shipped especially from Golden Bay to rebuild the beach, which had become worn down over many years.[7]

In the summer months, Oriental Bay becomes a hive of activity. The beach seems covered with swimmers, party goers and families. The Carter Fountain is a distinctive feature in the Bay, as is the wooden barge which is often covered in swimmers. A small section of the bay that lies beside Freyberg pool is known as Freyberg Bay, after Lord Freyberg.[8]

According to the 2013 census, Oriental Bay has a population of 1,056, a decrease of 60 from 2006.[1]

History

Oriental Bay was originally known as Duppa, after the first and only resident at the time, George Duppa[9] who later renamed the area Oriental Bay after the ship that he arrived in New Zealand on in 1840.[10] The area was originally farm land and was used as a quarantine with a nurse and tent on the beach[9] and by whalers, which resulted in a pungent odor from the boiled whale blubber.[9]

Settlement of the area started in the 1880s and was expanded with the development of public amenities in the early 1900s such as the Te Aro Baths and the Band Rotunda in 1918.[10]

21st century

The beach was developed in 2002 by Wellington City Council with 22,000 tonnes of sand from Wainui Bay in Golden Bay being used to expand both Oriental and Freyberg beach.[9]

In December 2016, a Free The Nipple Beach Day was held at Oriental Bay.[11]

Notable residents
  • Sam Neill - Actor (Home situated in Upper Roseneath)
  • Bob Hoskins - Actor ($1.5 Million (US) Duplex on Oriental Parade)
  • Kerry Prendergast - Former Mayor of Wellington (Penthouse Apartment on Oriental Parade)
  • Jane Campion - Academy Award-Winning Film Maker ($2.3 million (US) Apartment on Oriental Terrace)
  • Robyn Kahukiwa - International Maori/New Zealand Artist
  • Emily Watson - Actress ($1.2 million(US) Condo on Oriental Parade)

Images of Oriental Bay
  • Beach at Oriental Bay
  • Oriental Bay as seen from the city at Queens Wharf
  • Carter Fountain
  • Fireworks in Oriental Bay
  • Oriental Bay panorama, Wellington
  • Prominent Norfolk Pine trees on Oriental Bay, September 2020.

References
  1. 2013 Census QuickStats about a place : Oriental Bay
  2. Singer, Michelle. "Oriental Bay: A Wellington Neighborhood Near the City Center That Feels Like a Holiday Destination". www.mansionglobal.com. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
  3. Singer, Michelle. "Oriental Bay: A Wellington Neighborhood Near the City Center That Feels Like a Holiday Destination". www.mansionglobal.com. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
  4. McLean, Gavin; Taonga, New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage Te Manatu. "Wellington's Riviera". teara.govt.nz. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
  5. "Life's a beach in Oriental Bay". Wellington City Council. 16 September 2020. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
  6. "Archived articles". Oriental Bay Residents Association. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
  7. "Life's a beach in Oriental Bay". Wellington City Council. 16 September 2020. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
  8. "Freyberg Beach". Wellington City Council. 8 January 2020. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
  9. "Life's a beach in Oriental Bay". Wellington City Council.
  10. Hollingsworth, Julia (26 April 2012). "Streetwise History: Oriental Bay". The Wellingtonian.
  11. Ethics debate sprouts at Wellington Free the Nipple Beach Day


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