due to an increased interest in tourism in the area, in 1927 the land was subdivided by "lake beach estate ltd" who held a competition to name the new town. mr c.h. cave won the competition with "moana", which is a māori-language word meaning "ocean". the land was divided into blocks of land suitable for holiday homes and wide streets were planned and laid out, but due to the great depression in 1929 development of the area was slow.