Jans Terrace

Ōākura’s Jans Terrace memorialises a man who helped to introduce many local families and tourists alike to the joys of Ōākura Beach in summertime.

From the 1920s John Jans and his wife Irene farmed a section of land which ran down to the Oakura beachfront that had previously been farmed by his father Oswald and older brother Oswald junior (who died serving in World War Two). It had earlier been part of a 400-acre farm owned by early Ōākura Pāhekā settler and member of the Taranaki Military Settlers, Captain Frank Mace.

In between milking 50 cows, John began to build what became the Ōākura campsite, using a horse and scoop. The campground began with only three campsites but quickly grew to number 80 campsites. Today the campground includes more than 140 campsites as well as self-contained units and cabins.

John also built the Ōākura store beside the beach during World War Two and was an active member of local community clubs, including the Old Boy’s Life Saving Club, the Ōākura Hall committee and the indoor bowling club.

On his death in August 1967 his wife Irene commented that he; “practically started Ōākura. Thirty years ago when we saw two tourists on the beach we thought it was a crowd – now look at Ōākura.”

John Jans’ son, Ronald (Mike) Jans, worked as a farmhand for his father before serving in World War Two and then taking over the family farm. From the 1940s into the 1970s different sections of the land were sold, forming what is today Jans Tce and creating access to the subdivisions that lead from it.

John Jans’ father Karl Oswald Jans (known as Oswald) emigrated from Steinhausen, Switzerland with his brother Clemens in the 1880s and first settled in the Inglewood area where he opened a business as a cooper, a craftsman who creates barrels and casks. He later took up farming, first in Inglewood, then Ōākura. He married Polish-born Barbara Potroz in 1887 and they had 13 children. He died in New Plymouth in 1929 at the age of 67.