The Auckland Ferry Terminal, also called the Downtown Ferry Terminal, is the hub of the Auckland ferry network, connecting the city centre with coastal and inner-harbour suburbs and islands of the Hauraki Gulf. It is located on the southern edge of the Waitemata Harbour and bounded by Quay Street.
| Auckland Ferry Terminal | |
|---|---|
 The ferry terminal from the harbour in 2006 | |
 Interactive map of the Auckland Ferry Terminal area | |
| Alternative names | Downtown Ferry Terminal |
| General information | |
| Type | Ferry building |
| Architectural style | Edwardian Baroque |
| Construction started | 1909 |
| Completed | 1912 |
| Renovated | 1986–1988 |
| Cost | £67,944 |
| Client | Auckland Harbour Board |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Alex Wiseman |
| Main contractor | Philcox and Sons |
| Designated | 25 November 1982 |
| Reference no. | 102 |
The Edwardian Baroque Ferry Building is the focal point of the ferry terminal, with ferries departing from in front of it at a modern terminal constructed in 2021.
Ferry Building
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By the early 20th century, the Auckland Harbour Board recognised the need for a dedicated ferry building in Auckland.[1] Original plans were for a five-storey structure, but after public outrage at the height, a design of four storeys and a clock tower was proposed.[1] The plan was similar to that of the San Francisco Ferry Building.[1] The building was designed by Alex Wiseman, and erected by Philcox and Sons. It was constructed from 1909 to 1912, and is made of sandstone and brick with a base of Coromandel granite, on reclaimed land. It cost £67,944,[a] a large sum for the day.[3][4] The ferry building was not built as part of the terminal but instead was designed to serve as a focal point for the Auckland ferry service and to provide income for the harbour board via leases. The main ferry operators, the Devonport Steam Ferry Company and the Takapuna Tramways Ferry Company, both had headquarters in the building.[4]
The ferry building was the major departure point for people travelling to the North Shore until 1959, when the Auckland Harbour Bridge was opened.[5] This led to a decline in ferry traffic and a slow decline for the building.[4]
A new ferry building was built next to it in 1982[1] and a report released that year said that extensive renovations were needed to bring the Edwardian building up to earthquake and fire code standards. The Harbour Board were divided over whether to keep the building, but following strong public opinion decided to renovate it.[1] It was extensively restored from 1986[3] and reopened by the Governor General on 5 November 1988.[1]
New ferry terminal
editIn 2021 Auckland Transport invested $42 million creating six new ferry berths to expand the capacity to several thousand passengers an hour, a capacity that is unlikely to be reached for several decades.[6]
The more contemporary ferry piers and waiting area were constructed mostly as an open-sided structure with a curved seagull/sail-roof, which together with ornamental turrets is designed to evoke ships berthed behind the original building. It also needed to be of a low profile to retain building views, and was designed by architect Murray Day to be easily maintainable and expandable.[7]
Notes
editReferences
edit- 1 2 3 4 5 6 Jones, Les (2011). "Development of Auckland Ports". In La Roche, John (ed.). Evolving Auckland: The City's Engineering Heritage. Wily Publications. pp. 87–104. ISBN 9781927167038.
- ↑ "Inflation Calculator". Reserve Bank of NZ. Retrieved 28 August 2016.
- 1 2 The Auckland Ferry Building Archived 2008-04-21 at the Wayback Machine (from the 'roadworks.co.nz' Queen Street website. Retrieved 2007-12-05.)
- 1 2 3 Jones, Martin (21 August 2001). Ferry Building (Report). Heritage New Zealand.
- ↑ Haworth, Jenny (2016). Auckland Then and Now. United Kingdom: Pavilion Books. p. 44-45. ISBN 978-1-910904-79-4. Wikidata Q116870435.
- ↑ Naill, Todd (21 June 2021). "Aucklands 42m Ferry Terminal Signals New Era for Public Transport in the City". stuff.co.uk. Retrieved 16 November 2023.
- ↑ Well connected Archived 29 October 2007 at the Wayback Machine (from Commercial Design Trends Volume 2114, 'Trends' magazine. Retrieved 2007-12-05.)
External links
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Media related to Auckland Ferry Terminal at Wikimedia Commons
- Photographs of the Auckland Ferry Terminal held in Auckland Libraries' heritage collections.