holidays

From the early days of rail, excursion and special trains gave people new opportunities to visit beaches, lakes, parks, racecourses and shows. Aside from the charms of their destination, these trips were an adventure in themselves, offering passengers the chance to experience the novelty and thrill of rail travel, often for the first time. Crucially, excursions were also much cheaper than everyday full-fare travel.

As well as day excursions, from the mid-1890s New Zealand Railways (NZR) offered special deals for travellers taking longer rail journeys during the Christmas, Easter and school holidays. NZR also teamed up with the country’s two largest private tourist operators, the Union Steam Ship Company and Thomas Cook and Sons. Together, they promoted combined rail/steamer and rail/coach tours of the North Island’s Hot Lakes District and the South Island’s Cold Lakes and Glacial District.

New Zealand Railways publicity poster for Caroline Bay, Timaru, 1935

Caroline Bay offered an entire programme of activities for holidaymakers over the summer. Starting on Boxing Day and finishing in mid-January, there were concerts and dances, sand-modelling contests, parades for pets and ‘Tiny Tots’, mother–son and mother–daughter contests and a wide selection of beauty contests. The New Year’s Eve midnight bonfire was the highlight, but the Miss Caroline Bay Bathing Beauty Contest was the glamour event through to the 1960s.

Anzac Day notice, New Zealand Gazette, 1, 1916, p. 977

Transcript 

Observances respecting Anzac Day.

Prime Minister’s Office,
Wellington, 5th April, 1916.