On 10 April 1968 the Union Steam Ship Company's roll-on roll-off passenger ferry Wahine capsized and sank at the entrance to Wellington Harbour. The disaster cost more than 50 lives and stunned the nation.
Lyttelton-Wellington ferries
Key dates - Lyttelton-Wellington ferries
Below are some significant dates in the history of the Union Steam Ship Company's Lyttelton–Wellington ferry service:
Cook Strait rail ferries
The early years - Lyttelton-Wellington ferries
Politicians and ferries - Lyttelton-Wellington ferries
The Premier ... used some very bad language about the Moura ... He told me that the vessel dragged down in 15 ½ hours and arrived too late for the funeral and that we ought not to inflict such a brute of a vessel upon the suffering public. I may remark that he, himself, detained the vessel a quarter of an hour, ringing up at the last moment as usual requesting us to keep her for a few minutes for him.
Union Steam Ship Company manager, 1901
'The floating bridge' - Cook Strait ferries
Cabins de luxe and glory holes - Lyttelton-Wellington ferries
The public rooms are spacious and well designed with attractive murals for decoration. A comfortable cafeteria is provided and a dining saloon caters for passengers desirous of a more satisfying meal, perhaps after a long day's driving from some distant part of the country.
New Zealand Marine News, 1972
'An array of awful pies' - Cook Strait ferries
Rough crossings - Cook Strait ferries
Just like clockwork - Lyttelton-Wellington ferries
People who lived at Oriental Bay or around the heights of Brooklyn or Kelburn, could set their clocks by these ships.
A.A. Kirk
