Railways poster, 1920s

This New Zealand Railways poster, probably from the late 1920s, offers a four-week Tourist Ticket for each island for £10 (around $930 in today’s money) or a seven-week nationwide pass for £16 5s (around $1500 nowadays). Like many early 20th-century tourist posters, this advertisement champions the thermal wonderland of Rotorua, the soaring splendour of southern mountains and New Zealand’s rich hunting and fishing potential; more unusually, it also features man-made marvels such as the Hāpuawhenua viaduct. Native flora and fauna, Māori carvings and a tattooed chief were included in an attempt to add an exotic touch for these posters' predominantly Pākehā audience.