The name Cable Bay arose from New Zealand's first overseas cable link, to Australia, which was opened on 21 February 1876. The international telegraph cable established a connection with the worldwide telegraph network via Sydney. The cable came ashore into a timber building, continuing through a cedar-topped cable, a stone-cemented passage and underground to the cable house. From the cable station, messages were sent to Nelson via telegraph wire. This new service meant communications to Europe only took four days instead of up to six months for letters. With a population of about 30, the cable station was a self-contained village.