SS Wairarapa 1882-1894

The SS Wairarapa was built in 1882 by William Denny & Brothers of Dumbarton, Scotland for the trans-Tasman trade. It was owned and operated by the Union Steam Ship Company (USSCo) for its entire service and could carry 247 passengers. In 1884 it was used for the first Union Company cruise to the Pacific islands.

On 29 October 1894 while on passage from Sydney to Auckland the SS Wairarapa went off course in foggy and stormy conditions. It was subsequently wrecked on a reef at the north end of Great Barrier Island with the loss of 121 lives. Survivors were rescued by the local iwi who also cared for them until they could get transport to Auckland. It took three days for news of the shipwreck to reach Auckland as the only way for word to get to the mainland was the weekly steamer from Great Barrier Island.