Prior to European settlement the area served a variety of functions for the Māori. The main Māori settlement was Ruapuke Island with smaller Māori settlements scattered along coast, including at Ocean Beach.
Extensive whaling and sealing took part in the 1700s around Ocean Beach.
The Ocean Beach site in Bluff was first established as a freezing works in 1892 and by 1901 was capable of freezing 3000 sheep each day. This operation closed in 1991.
Today Ocean Beach is an aquaculture park primarily growing Abalone, with future growth plans to include hospitality, tourism and multiple aquaculture research and projects.
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