Toroa (ferry)

Toroa, named for the northern royal albatross, is an Albatross-class passenger ferry that served Auckland, New Zealand, primarily travelling between the Devonport and Auckland CBD ferry terminals. Together with her sister ship Makora, she ferried about 20,000 passengers a day, until taken out of service in 1980.[1]

Toroa
The Toroa on the Waitematā Harbour in the 1950s
History
NamesakeNorthern royal albatross
Owner
  • Devonport Steam Ferry Company Limited
  • New Zealand Maritime Trust
BuilderGeorge Niccol
Launched28 April 1925
Out of service8 August 1980
General characteristics
Tonnage309 GT
Length130.75 ft (39.85 m)
Beam31.4 ft (9.6 m)
Draft9.9 ft (3.0 m)
Installed powerAitcheson, Blair Ltd Triple-expansion steam engine 51 horsepower (38 kW)
Speed11.5 knots (21.3 km/h; 13.2 mph)
Capacity
  • 1221 passengers river limits
  • 682 passengers extended river limits
Crew4

The ferry was purchased by the New Zealand Maritime Trust. A volunteer group, the Toroa Preservation Society, worked towards a restoration. However, the well-restored vessel sank in 1998 at Birkenhead Wharf in a storm. Recovered, the ferry now sits on land in Henderson, where restoration work is continuing slowly but regularly.[1]

Other Albatross-class ferries include

  • Albatross
  • Kestrel[2]
  • The Peregrine
  • Ngoiro
  • Makora

References
  1. Falconer, Phoebe (26 June 2010). "Observatory director behind Toroa Preservation Society". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 9 July 2010.
  2. "Kestrel ferry to be restored after "near-death experience"". Stuff.co.nz. 5 October 2016. Retrieved 3 October 2017.
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