RONA BAY

Rona Bay is a sand and pebble beach situated in Eastbourne. The beach features sand hills and verges a large park. With changing facilities, a pool, toilets, a playground and plenty of parking this site is a great place for families.

Eastbourne's Italian heritage began with the settlement of Rona Bay (originally known as Brown's Bay) by Italians Bartolo and Italia Russo 1892. Renaming it after themselves as Russo Bay, the Russos, originally from Stromboli, they established a hotel and began horticultural and fishing industries. They prompted many relatives and friends to also emigrate, propelling Eastbourne into an elaborate little Italian New Zealander stronghold.

After delays in construction due to southerly gales, Rona bay wharf was completed in 1906. The need for a wharf at Rona Street was promoted by the Days Bay Rate Payers Association, then the main representative group for the Eastern Bays, to deal with the population growth in Rona Bay and Muritai, the two areas of north and south Eastbourne. Days Bay, purchased by Mr Williams in 1894 for £1,000, and a popular weekend resort, had its own busy wharf, built by his company during 1895.

The Rona Bay wharf met the commuting needs of the fledgling borough at the time when secondary schooling and most work was in Wellington. The trip took 32 minutes, wharf to wharf, over 6 miles of often turbulent water. The ferry service ceased in 1948 due to a fire onboard the remaining ferry and the ratepayers voting to end the service rather than replace. Another contributing factor was the completion of Seaview Road, which reduced road distance to Wellington, and also the take over of the Eastbourne Bus Company.

Rona Bay Wharf is the oldest public structure in Eastbourne and is made of Australian Iron Bark, a hardwood thousands of years old, unprocurable today.