Toroa (ferry)
Encyclopedia
The Toroa, named for the Northern Royal Albatross
, is a passenger ferry which used to serve Auckland
, New Zealand
, primarily travelling between the Devonport, New Zealand
and Auckland CBD
ferry terminals. Together with her sister ship Makora, she ferried about 20,00 passengers a day, until she was taken out of service in 1980.
The ferry has since been purchased by the New Zealand Maritime Trust, and a volunteer group, the Toroa Preservation Society, is working towards a restoration. However, the well-restored vessel sank in 1998 at Birkenhead
in a storm. Recovered, the ferry now sits on land in Henderson
, where restoration work is continuing slowly but regularly.
Northern Royal Albatross
The Northern Royal Albatross or Toroa, Diomedea sanfordi, is a large seabird from the albatross family. It was split from the closely related Southern Royal Albatross as recently as 1998, though not all scientists support that conclusion and consider both of them to be subspecies of the Royal...
, is a passenger ferry which used to serve Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, primarily travelling between the Devonport, New Zealand
Devonport, New Zealand
Devonport is a harbourside suburb of Auckland, New Zealand. It is located on the North Shore, at the southern end of a peninsula that runs southeast from near Lake Pupuke in Takapuna, forming the northern side of the Waitemata Harbour...
and Auckland CBD
Auckland CBD
The Auckland CBD is the geographical and economic heart of the Auckland metropolitan area. Bounded by several major motorways and by the harbour coastline in the north, it is surrounded further out by mostly suburban areas...
ferry terminals. Together with her sister ship Makora, she ferried about 20,00 passengers a day, until she was taken out of service in 1980.
The ferry has since been purchased by the New Zealand Maritime Trust, and a volunteer group, the Toroa Preservation Society, is working towards a restoration. However, the well-restored vessel sank in 1998 at Birkenhead
Birkenhead, New Zealand
Birkenhead is a suburb of Auckland, in northern New Zealand. It is located on the north shore of the Waitemata Harbour, four kilometres northwest of the Auckland city centre....
in a storm. Recovered, the ferry now sits on land in Henderson
Henderson, New Zealand
Henderson is a major suburb of Auckland, in the North Island of New Zealand. It is located 13 kilometres to the west of Auckland city centre, and two kilometres to the west of the Whau River, a southwestern arm of the Waitemata Harbour.-Description:...
, where restoration work is continuing slowly but regularly.