1959 Harbour Bridge opens

1959 30 May

The opening of the Auckland Harbour Bridge, spelling the demise of many of the ferry runs, particularly the end of the vehicular ferry service.  The ferry company sells its fleet to the North Shore Transport Co who continue with the Devonport ferry service, operating the steam ferries Toroa  and Makora, with Takapuna as standby. The rest of the fleet laid up. The four steam vehicle ferries sold for scrap and hulked.

Passenger ferries The Peregrine (left) and Ngoiro pass through the half-built Harbour Bridge, c.1958
Photograph: Jack Kirk, Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Libraries, 998-2