Okains Bay

Okains Bay is known as Kawatea in Māori. It is important to the Ngāi Tahu because a rangatira or chief called Moki established his Pa or settlement here when Ngāi Tahu migrated to Canterbury. Okains Bay has been recognized as the first landing place of Ngāi Tahu on Banks Peninsula.[3] Carbon dating of artefacts suggest that Maori were present in Okains bay in the 1300s.

Okains Bay gained its European name from Captain Hamilton, who, when was sailing past, was reading a book written by Okain (O'Kane), an Irish naturalist.[4] It was first settled by Europeans around 1850. By September 1850 the first sections of land were sold by the Canterbury Association to the first European settlers. Due to the lack of roads, transport was to and from Lyttelton (21 miles away) by a steamer, which stopped along the way at Little Akaloa.[5]

The main sawmill began operating in 1874. It is now a shearing shed. Timber was moved by a trolley line to the first wharf which was situated at the centre of the beach. The cheese factory opened in 1894 and closed in 1968.

Three different wharves were built at different times to accommodate boats berthing at Okains Bay. They were used for transporting livestock, meat, wool, timber, grass seed, dairy produce, store provisions and people. The first two wharves became inoperable due to the movement of the sand around them. The third wharf was closed and demolished in 1964 and the timber from it was used to repair road bridges in 1964.[6]

Okains Bay is part of the Eastern Bays-Banks Peninsula statistical area.

Eastern Bays-Banks Peninsula statistical area, which also includes Purau, covers 368.25 km² (142.18 sq mi).[7] It had an estimated population of 630 as of June 2022,[8] with a population density of 1.7 people per km².

The Okains Bay Library

Okains Bay Museum (December 2020)

Tini Arapata Marae, Okains Bay. (December 2020)

Eastern Bays-Banks Peninsula had a population of 615 at the 2018 New Zealand census, a decrease of 39 people (−6.0%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 9 people (1.5%) since the 2006 census. There were 258 households, comprising 306 males and 309 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.99 males per female. The median age was 50.7 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 108 people (17.6%) aged under 15 years, 48 (7.8%) aged 15 to 29, 336 (54.6%) aged 30 to 64, and 123 (20.0%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 95.1% European/Pākehā, 12.2% Māori, 1.5% Pasifika, and 1.5% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.

The percentage of people born overseas was 19.5, compared with 27.1% nationally.

Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 51.7% had no religion, 37.6% were Christian, 2.0% had Māori religious beliefs, 0.5% were Muslim, 0.5% were Buddhist and 1.5% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 141 (27.8%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 60 (11.8%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $31,300, compared with $31,800 nationally. 93 people (18.3%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 258 (50.9%) people were employed full-time, 117 (23.1%) were part-time, and 6 (1.2%) were unemployed.[9]