[2][3] The Leasks were involved in the early construction of Stewart Island infrastructure: in 1897 Thomas and James Leask built the road from Oban to Harrold Bay.

[1] The Leasks were some of the original boat builders of Stewart Island, and current descendants are still involved in the fishing industry.

[1][4] In 1933, the skull of the first recorded Shepherd's beaked whale was stored at Leask Bay, before being taken to Southland Museum.

[5] In a 1953 publication, it was noted that Leask Bay was an outlier on Stewart Island as it hosted exotic trees when the rest of the Island has only native trees.

[6] In the 1980s, an oil seep was discovered in Leask Bay.