The Toroa is the only survivor in Auckland, New Zealand of the fleet of Waitemata Harbour double-ended steam ferries that used to run between Auckland City and the North Shore. She is a tangible piece of the history and development of Auckland and she is absolutely irreplaceable. Her restoration to authentic, seaworthy condition is well underway.

Toroa was the last of the eight Albatross-type steam passenger ferries to be built for the Waitemata. She was built at George Niccol's yard at St. Mary’s Bay, Auckland for the Devonport Steam Ferry Company Ltd. and was launched on Tuesday 28th April, 1925. Until her retirement in 1980 she served the North Shore, mainly on the Auckland to Devonport run with Makora, carrying 20,000 or more passengers a day between them at the peak of the passenger service before the opening of the Auckland Harbour Bridge in 1959.

Toroa still has her original Scottish-built triple-expansion steam engine and boiler and both are in relatively good condition. The composite-construction hull (timber planking and backbone; steel framing and bulkheads) and the timber superstructure require much work, and full advantage will be taken of this opportunity to train new people in vessel and machinery conservation work.

Toroa is hauled out at Selwood Road, Henderson, Waitakere City to restore her to authentic and seaworthy condition. This major restoration, beginning with the hull and the engine, is well underway and will in due course return her to the Harbour as an authentic double-ended steam ferry, preserving the history of the ferries, and presenting the story and the phenomenon of steam propulsion to new generations of Aucklanders and visitors.

The Toroa Preservation Society Inc is a non-profit organisation dedicated to the restoration, preservation and maintenance of the Toroa. New members are most welcome to actively assist and/or support the Society's efforts.

The Toroa, the last of the Albatross-type double-enders, operated on the Waitemata Harbour between the City of Auckland and the North Shore, mostly on the Devonport run opposite the Makora, replacing The Peregrine.

Launched	28th April, 1925
Decommissioned	8th August, 1980

Arrangement
Two-decked, double-ended ferry, with propeller, rudder and wheelhouse at each end.

Register Dimensions

Length	130.75 ft	39.85 m
Breadth	31.4 ft	9.57 m
Depth	9.9 ft	3.02 m
Gross tonnage	309 tons

Owner
Devonport Steam Ferry Company Limited

Builder
George Niccol, Fanshawe St, St Mary's Bay, Auckland, New Zealand. Machinery installed by Clare & Warner, engineers & boilermakers, Quay St East, Auckland. Steelwork by the Senior Foundry, engineers & boilermakers, Halsey St, Auckland.

Construction
Composite: 3-inch (76mm) heart kauri (Agaihis australis) timber planking over steel bulb-angle frames, with steel bulkheads and main-deck beams.

Engine
Triple-expansion steam engine, by Aitcheson, Blair Ltd, Clydebank, Scotland.
Stroke 21 in (533mm); bore 12, 20 & 32 in (305, 508 & 813 mm).
Nominal h.p. 51.

Boiler
Coal-fired "Scotch" marine type, of rivetted construction, by A&W Dalgleish, West of Scotland Boilermakers, Pollockshaws, Glasgow.
Operating Pressure 180 psi

Speed
11.5 knots at trials

Complement
Crew: 4-skipper, deck-hand, engineer, stoker
Passengers: 1221 river limits; 682 extended river limits.

The Toroa Preservation Society is registered in New Zealand as an incorporated society under the Incorporated Societies Act of 1908. The Society is registered as a Charity under the Charities Act of 2005.

The primary object of the Society is “to be beneficial to the community by the restoration, preservation, maintenance and operation of the veteran steam ferry Toroa to provide a historic link to the operation of steam ferries on the Waitemata Harbour for more than one hundred years”.

Further objects are to provide during the process of restoration opportunities for training in vessel conservation principles, the restoration of timber vessels and in traditional marine engineering; When operational the Toroa will provide a range of experiences to increase the knowledge of the importance of the ferries in the development of the Auckland region, the history of marine steam propulsion, and provide training in marine engineering and ship operation.

The Toroa is owned by the New Zealand Maritime Trust, a registered charitable trust. The Toroa Preservation Society holds a perpetually renewable lease for the purposes of restoration, preservation, maintenance and operation of the vessel.

Officers & Committee
The General Committee of the Toroa Preservation Society elected at the last A.G.M. of 1st November 2009:

Patron	Paul Walbran
Vice-Patron	Paul Titchener
President	Dave Skinner
Secretary	Don Henwood
Treasurer	Jim McPhillips
Committee	Robert Brown
	Andrew Macbeth
	Brian Claney
	Peter McCurdy
	Chris Knight

Membership, Donations and Volunteering You might be interested in Society Membership and/or perhaps helping with the restoration as a Volunteer. If this sounds like you and you want to be involved then please complete our Registration Form. Note that all donations and membership fees should be posted as cheque to: The Treasurer Toroa Preservation Society Inc. P.O. Box 34-205 Birkenhead, Auckland Donations are tax deductible. For donations over $5 please indicate if you require a receipt. For all General Enquiries Please email: crew@toroa.org.nz Or contact by post: Toroa Preservation Society Inc. P.O. Box 34-205 Birkenhead, Auckland Website Feedback and Technical Enquiries Please email: webmaster@toroa.org.nz Finding the Toroa Site The Toroa restoration site is on Selwood Road, Henderson, Waitakere City. We are sorry we can't welcome everyone aboard yet however we welcome donations to support the project. For a street map and directions see the SS Toroa Location Map.

Selwood Road, Henderson, Waitakere City, Auckland 0610, NEW ZEALAND