Maritime Heritage Site

ARAHURATAMAHINE 1925-1962RANGATIRA 1931- 1967HOLMBANK 1962 - 63KORANUI 1956-1975TANEA at WanganuiFPSO RAROASEAWAY PRINCE 1975-1985

Welcome:

The New Zealand Ship & Marine Society was formed in 1949 and was comprised of people from all sections of the community and from many different countries who have an interest in ships and maritime activities. 

The website contains a random selection of short articles, a list of maritime books, short histories of shipping companies, the ships and some personalities which trade or have traded to New Zealand, some New Zealand ports, copies of the journal “New Zealand Marine News” and Dr. Watt's Index. 

As an island country, all transport to and from New Zealand before 1930 was by ship. The first settlers arrived by canoe and the European settlers who followed in the 19th century were transported by sailing ship.

Steam ships were slow to arrive in New Zealand because of the great distances between coaling stations. After the frozen meat trade started in 1882, steamships trading overseas increased rapidly, although by that time there were numerous steam vessels trading around the coast and across to Australia.

Many shipping companies were associated with trade to and from New Zealand. Some lasted many years, some did not remain long, some were only one ship companies, but all contributed to the growth of the nation and gave employment to many New Zealanders.

The search facility scans our whole web site.

 

The Society website was first established by Mark Johnston in February 2000. When he left New Zealand in June 2005, Captain John Brown kindly agreed to become webmaster and to further develop the website, which he did admirably. The original website was extensively revised and redesigned. In December 2014 the website moved over to Recollect and further developed. John Brown put much time and effort into adding photographs and articles into the website, and except for some transient one-call ships, the majority of his work has been retained for history. The Society was formally wound-up on 30 June 2019, but this website is retained as a maritime heritage site for historical maritime information, especially of New Zealand shipping.  

 

Highlights:

WAIHORA 1883-1903ARAHINA ASSISTING HIKITIAPATEENA 1891-1924Ruapehu 1901-1931Taupo 1966-1970Stenhouse BayPatea in its HeydayMOKOIA 1898-1928MATANGI 1929-1952HINAKURA 1949-1966Hororata at OpuaMAUNGANUI 1911 - 1947KENT loading campervans at Lyttelton October 2007John grounding HIKITIA and RAPAKI SPIRIT OF INDEPENDENCESPIRIT OF COMPETITIONKIWITEA 1925-1955Evans Bay LaundryJOHN 1911-1936WAIKARE 1958-1975GABRIELLA 1930QUEEN MARY 2 and CELEBRITY SOLSTICESTEVE IRWINWellington Patent SlipCARGO HANDLINGUNION ROTORUA 1976-1998PORT NICHOLSON 1962-1979Wellington OfficeKEKERANGU 1920-1953HOLMGLEN 1955-1959KUMALLA 1956-1973MARAMA 1907-1937KAIMIRO 1929 -1956Grand Pacific HotelMataroa 1932-1957EMPRESS OF BRITIANKAIMIRO 1956-1975Shipping WellingtonTYRONE  1912-1913MAORI 1907-1946 PORT LAUNCESTON 1957-1977KAWATIRI 1950-1971HMS RAMILLIESStraitsman 1992-2002PATEENA 1958-1975WAINUI 1930-1958RIMUTAKA 1884-1899PictonPAMIR 1942-1948

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