Robert Zeally took up land in the
Torquay vicinity in 1851. (the Torquay Bay now takes
Zeally's name)
The land became a popular destination for fishing and day
trips and was later surveyed for subdivision by the Lands
Department in 1886.
In 1900 a primary school was opened in the newly-built
Presbyterian church, moving to the recreation hall in 1901.
A permanent school building was opened in 1910. A bowling
green, tennis courts and a golf course were opened by the
1920s, and sea-bathing and a life-saving club were active by
then
Photo: Torquay's grassy parkland is a great place to
enjoy the sun all year round
As well as great surf, Torquay
offers popular family beaches including the Esplanade
and Fisherman's Beach on Zeally Bay. People flock to
the water in Summer and to picnic all year round.
As car travel become more of a reality Torquay began to grow,
becoming a popular holiday destination.
Today Torquay is a thriving community with a huge emphasis
towards its beach life. Major surf companies have set up
factories and retail stores in the region making it one of
true surfing capitals of the world.
Torquay is presently enjoying a population boom, with many new
estates bringing thousands of new people to live in the
thriving area
