Auckland's Waitemata Steam Ferries

[BaronGog69]

i lived in devonport in the 70s

the toroa and kestrel were my daily transport between the rusting devo terminal where the whitebait flowed at a certain time of the year and the ferry buildings.

when the wind blew the wrong way the boys on the rope would miss the bouy and the ferry would crunch in the front post. we used to jump off the rail onto the wharf when the tide was high. auckland is now a shadow of a nice place to live. from the 80s on. bring back the rust...

[leaderofearth]

The Toroa is still on the hard at Henderson. I drove out there today to take a look.

[TeeVeeNZ]

Thanks for the info update, has anyone spotted the Kestrel recently?

[leaderofearth]

Actually I saw her the other day too. She is still moored in Tauranga. According to her website the former owners of the restaurant business she was being used for went bust a while back and they looking for new tenants to take over.

I only saw her from the motorway going past so I don't know what she is actually being used for right now but she is defiantly still afloat.

[TeeVeeNZ]

And the Toroa was used extensively on Shortland Street in the 1990s as a location

[odentroll]

Toroa built 1925 is now owned by the New Zealand Maritime Trust, Leased to the Toroa Preservation Society, Now Bearthed at Devonport Naval Base. the Kestral is still working but with a Diesel Engine.

[TeeVeeNZ]

Apparently the Kestrel is tied up in Tauranga as a floating restaurant

Looking for a new owner.

[leaderofearth]

Last time I saw the Toroa she was on the hard at Henderson.

It is a shame that there are currently none of the old double endears working in Auckland anymore.

[jackrakino]

@leaderofearth the kestrel is now back in auckland harbour