It has large tanks, and uses water from Foveaux Strait to raise popular New Zealand species including hāpuku, kingfish, whitebait and pāua.

Controlled by the Bluff Harbour Board, it was used by the RNZAF for flying boat operations (until 1966) when patrolling New Zealand's southern sub-Antarctic islands.

[2] In the late 1950s, Ansett Australia operated four chartered international flights using Short Sandringham flying boats.

A local launch, small jetty and customs terminal was provided and passengers hurried onto buses for the short ride to Invercargill.

[3] Eventually the flying boat era was replaced by more efficient land based airliners and the alighting area delisted as an airport.