Now is the time of year when New Zealand families make like a D-Day assault team and storm the beaches.  The ice cream vendors make a killing while people get sand in their hair, work on their tan and lap up the beach culture.  Of course none of this is a new phenomenon.  Today I thought I’d share some previously unpublished vintage photos of one of New Zealand’s favourite Summer destinations – Tahunanui Beach in Nelson.

Tahunanui was my home in the 1990′s and as a local I got used to the annual influx of visitors that pour into the suburb from Boxing Day until mid-January.  The holiday camp there is the largest in the southern hemisphere.  Holidaymakers are attracted by the family friendly beach and sunny weather.

A few years ago I bought an old album of photographs on Ebay. It documents a travelers visit to New Zealand in the late 1920′s and early 1930′s.  I bought the album as it included some fantastic images on maritime history along with a few showing the damage caused by the Murchison earthquake (I’ll post these another day, when I’m not in such a summery mood), but it was no surprise to see that Tahunanui beach was among their destinations.

I hope you enjoy these photographs taken in January and February 1933.

Bathers in the sand dunes at Tahunanui Beach, 1933
Lemuel Lyes Collection

I’ve stitched these three photos together.  Notice the two people in the background.  The script-writer in me wants to believe that they are spying on them. Continue reading →