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
History
Namesake: Northern royal albatross
Owner:
  • Devonport Steam Ferry Company Limited
  • New Zealand Maritime Trust
Builder: George Niccol
Launched: 28 April 1925
Out of service: 8 August 1980
General characteristics
Tonnage: 309 GT
Length: 130.75 ft (39.85 m)
Beam: 31.4 ft (9.6 m)
Draft: 9.9 ft (3.0 m)
Installed power: Aitcheson, Blair Ltd Triple-expansion steam engine 51 horsepower (38 kW)
Speed: 11.5 knots (21.3 km/h; 13.2 mph)
Capacity:
  • 1221 passengers river limits
  • 682 passengers extended river limits
Crew: 4

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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