Riversdale: early views

Riversdale Beach in 1926. Not a building in sight

Group at Riversdale Beach, circa 1940

Group at Riversdale Beach, 1948

Family group walking through new subdivision at Riversdale, circa 1960.

Bulldozer on Riversdale Beach, circa 1960.

Aerial view of Riversdale camping ground, 1965-1970

Riversdale Beach and subdivision is the result of the vision and hard work of Basil Bodle -

The breadth of vision displayed by Bodle was lacking in others who ridiculed the idea of Riversdale as a resort and assigned the whole project to the confines of lunacy. And they could not be blamed for thinking thus. The place was desolate, with shifting sand hills, inaccessible, with no power, no telephones and no fresh water.

Newspaper clipping on Riversdale Beach website, which describes more fully the history of the development of Riversdale.

Photos: Wairarapa Archives