SS Aotea (1898-1929)

S.S. Aotea, Northern Union Steamboat Co., on the Northern Wairoa River about 1898 PH-CNEG-C2312 Auckland Museum Collections.

Lying on the shores of Higham's Beach at South Head the Kaipara Harbour is the remains of the SS Aotea. Just her keel and part of her ribs remain along with one of the boilers from her two engines. From 1898 until after the first world war the Aotea ferried the people living around the Kaipara to their destinations. Her registry closed in 1929, she was by then a hulk owned by the Waitemata County Council that had placed a notice of tender for the vessel to be put into place as a protective buffer against one of the bridge approaches into Helensville. She never made it.

Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections AWNS-18990714-8-2

Aotea was built in Pyrmont, Sydney, NSW by TF Morrison in 1898. She had two engines and was F/A schooner-rigged. 

The Aotea, the new steamer now being built in Sydney for the Northern Union Steamboat Company to replace the s.s. Wairoa in the Helensville-Dargaville trade is to be launched in about a fortnight and is expected to arrive at the Kaipara in November. The steamer is of about 130 tons and is fitted with all the latest appliances. She will have a large amount of passenger room, and capacity for a considerable quantity of cargo.  (Auckland Star, October 7 1898, p4)

The Aotea arrived at Kaipara after a five-day voyage from Sydney on December 22 1898 and was put into service for the Helensville to Dargaville run.  For a few years, she ran trouble-free until early June 1904 when a minor fire broke out in her engine room - but was quickly extinguished. She was still able to continue her run to Dargaville later the same day. In late 1906 the vessel, along with the rest of the fleet was taken over by a merger between the Wairoa Steamship Company and the Northern Union Steamboat company to form the Kaipara Steamship Company.

In August 1907, it was reported the vessel had struck rocks in the Kaipara River and just two days afterwards lost her tail shaft.

... on the vessel being towed to Helensville and placed on the slip, it was found that not only was her tail shaft broken, but her propeller post, rudder post, and the rudder stock were also broken ... (Auckland Star, September 25 1907, p5)

In 1912, the vessel, along with the Bellbird and Naumai Kaipara run, were taken over by George Turnball Niccol of Auckland, (Archives NZ reference: R16249768).  She continued under the regular run under the Kaipara Steamship Company banner which had been placed in receivership in the same year - Niccol purchased the company. In April 1913, the vessel was put on the slip and altered for a return to the Wairoa trade.

In November 1914, the Aotea was sold on to JJ Craig of Auckland.

... It is reported that the small steamer Aotea, owned by the Kaipara Steamship Company, Ltd, Helensville, has been sold to Mr J J. Craig, of Auckland. The Aotea is a wooden steamship of 263 tons gross and 157 tons net, having been built in Sydney in 1898 ... (Evening Post, November 13, 1914)

In 1916, the vessel was on the slip due to an accident with her boiler.  In August 1918, the vessel was used as a temporary isolation facility for influenza patients. In 1928, the Aotea's days on the Kaipara were close to coming to an end when the Northern Steamship Company advertised her for sale for breaking up. She was purchased by the Waitemata County Council for use as a buffer against one of the Helensville Bridge approaches - tenders were advertised in January 1929 to move the vessel into position. She never made it there. Her final resting place became Higham's Beach at South Head where she still lies along with the remains of her boiler.

















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