Wednesday 25 August 2010

MEDIA RELEASE

For immediate release

See Auckland from a different perspective

Ports of Auckland is inviting Aucklanders to experience a ‘living’ part of the city’s maritime history through a series of free heritage boat tours during the upcoming Auckland Heritage Festival.

One hour tours will be hosted on board the historic steam tugboat, the William C Daldy.

“We are thrilled that we are able to offer Auckland a unique experience in seeing their city’s history firsthand from a vessel that was an integral part of that very history,” said Managing Director Jens Madsen.

Built in 1935, the William C Daldy was one of the Auckland port’s first tug boats, and worked welcoming and departing ships on the Waitemata Harbour for more than 40 years.
The hour-long, family-friendly tours will cruise around the commercial wharves, providing a close-up view of port operations. 

The trip will also include a special stop at the Auckland Harbour Bridge, where the William C Daldy proved its might, salvaging a runaway piece of the bridge during its construction in 1958.

Mr Madsen said that while Ports of Auckland had been involved with the Auckland Heritage Festival since the early 2000’s it was the second year of offering free heritage tours on the William C. Daldy.

The development of the city and the port over the last 160 years has gone hand-in-hand. Being on such a historic vessel while touring the port just adds something extra to the whole experience.”

The tours will be held at 11.00am, 1.00pm and 3.00pm on two Saturdays during the Auckland Heritage Festival, between 18 September and 26 September.

Bookings are essential.  To book, phone 0800 AK PORT (0800 25 7678) or see www.poal.co.nz for more information.

The tours are free; however, a gold coin donation to the William C Daldy Preservation Society is appreciated.

For land-lubbers, you can also follow the Red Fence Heritage Walk in your own time. Brochures can be downloaded from www.poal.co.nz or picked up from the i-SITE Visitor Centre – Princes Wharf.

ENDS

Ports of Auckland is New Zealand’s largest container port by volume, handling around 840,000 TEU (20ft-equivalent units), more than 1,700 ship calls and 3.6 million tonnes of break-bulk (non-containerised) cargo per annum. It is New Zealand’s major import port and a key partner to export industries. Ports of Auckland is 100%-owned by Auckland Regional Holdings. 

The William C Daldy is a 126 metre, coal-fired steam tug, built in Scotland for the Auckland Harbour Board in 1935. After an 82 day delivery voyage to New Zealand, the tug began handling ships on the Waitemata Harbour in 1936. Following a 41 year career, the vessel was retired in 1971 as one of the last working coal-fired tugs in the world. Thanks to the efforts of The William C Daldy Preservation Society, the tug is still active on the Auckland Harbour. See www.daldy.com for more information.

The Auckland Heritage Festival, delivered by Auckland City Council, will run from 19 September to 4 October 2009. The two-week festival, comprising more than 100 events encompassing art, architecture, fashion, music, ecology and sociology, is a chance for Aucklanders to embrace and discover everything that is unique about their city.  This year’s theme is living heritage – the customs, stories and traditions we keep alive today. For more information and a full event programme visit the events page of the Auckland City website at www.aucklandcity.govt.nz
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