Title: The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Otago & Southland Provincial Districts]

Author: Cyclopedia Company Limited

Publication details: The Cyclopedia Company, Limited, 1905, Christchurch

Part of: The Cyclopedia of New Zealand

License: Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 New Zealand Licence

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Ocean Beach is the name of a settlement which is about a mile and a-half by road-chiefly over sandhills-and one mile by rail, from the Bluff. It came into existence with the establishment of the local freezing works in 1892. These works are very extensive, and are the property of Messrs Birt and Co., Limited, of Sydney, for whom Messrs J. G. Ward and Co. act as managing agents. The settlement is in the Awarua electorate, and in the riding of the same name in the county of Southland, and had a population of a hundred at the census of 1901. A post office is conducted at the office of the freezing works, and mails are received and despatched daily. Provision has been made by the proprietors for the recreation of the men, by the erection and equipment of a library and reading room, with chess, draughts, and other amusements. A flax-mill was established at Ocean Beach in 1903, and for this the raw material is brought by boat from Tewais Point. Presbyterian church services are held at the works from time to time. Settlers in the neighbourhood carry on dairying as well as agriculture. The works are sixteen miles from Invercargill by the Invercargill-Bluff line of railway.