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 Show map of New Zealand Oriental Bay Show map of New Zealand Wellington
Coordinates: 41°17′30″S 174°47′40″E
Country	New Zealand
Local authority	Wellington City
Population  (2013)[1]
• Total	1,056

	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]