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Story: The voyage out

Troops being ferried ashore, New Plymouth

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Troops being ferried ashore, New Plymouth

Before ports had been developed in New Zealand, landing could be difficult and even risky. For a long time New Plymouth had only an open roadstead, and immigrants (such as these soldiers being landed in 1860) were ferried ashore from ships anchored well out to sea. They came ashore through the surf onto an open beach.

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Alexander Turnbull Library

Reference: 030-013-C

by Edwin Harris

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page

John Wilson, The voyage out – Journeys to New Zealand, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/artwork/2555/troops-being-ferried-ashore-new-plymouth (accessed 10 June 2026).

Story by John Wilson, published 4 March 2009.