Ferries in Wellington

Ferries within Wellington's harbour form a part of the Wellington public transport system, carrying commuters and tourists on Wellington Harbour. They operate between central Wellington and Days Bay (near Eastbourne), Petone, Seatoun, and Matiu/Somes Island. Historically they also served Lowry Bay and particularly Rona Bay – the ferries belonged to the Eastbourne Borough Council from 1913 to 1950 – and briefly until 1913 Miramar, Karaka Bay. The development of road connections around the harbour's edge, particularly their paving during the 1920s, reduced the importance of ferries to the city's transport network, but regular services still run.

The vessels most fondly remembered are the s s Cobar and s s Duchess. Cobar was the longest serving, 42 years from 1906 to 1948 when all services ended because Cobar was badly damaged by fire. Duchess was specially built for Port Nicholson in 1897 but licensed to carry 1,029 against Cobar's 745 passengers she had to be first to go when commuters switched to the buses in the 1920s. She was laid up by the council in 1929 and sold in 1930.

A ferry service to Days Bay began in 1893, and later served Eastbourne (at Rona Bay). The service was taken over by the Eastbourne Borough Council in 1913, and continued to operate until 1948.

In 1989, a new ferry service was established to Days Bay. It is the only commuter ferry in operation in Wellington. It is run by the private company East by West, with a subsidy from local authorities.

Ferry services from central Wellington to Miramar, Seatoun, and Karaka Bay began in 1901. There were several runs each day, operated by a private company, Wellington Harbour Ferries. A second company, the Miramar Ferry Company, began operations the following year, but was bought out by Wellington Harbour Ferries in 1906. Improvements to road connections, notably the construction of the Seatoun Tunnel, made road journeys substantially quicker and easier, and caused patronage to drop — regular services ceased in 1913. In 2006 weekend services to Seatoun resumed, followed in March 2008 by a commuter service.

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