Finding the unexpected in the everyday.
On the eastern coast of New Zealand’s South Island, a new section of a cycling and walking trail was opened between the towns of Prebbleton and Lincoln. This section, an off-road asphalt pathway measuring approximately four miles (7.7 kilometers) in length, is a part of the Little River Rail Trail. The dedication ceremony for the... Continue Reading →
A French crew of 14 sailors on board the vessel Banque Populaire V began an ambitious round-the-world voyage. The voyage was undertaken to win the Jules Verne Trophy for the fastest circumnavigation of the globe by a yacht. Starting in 1993, the Jules Verne Trophy – named for the acclaimed French writer whose works included... Continue Reading →
The sixth and final section of the Nanango Branch Railway was officially opened in the Australian state of Queensland. This railway had been authorized in 1882 by the Parliament of Queensland after gold and copper were discovered in the region. The first two segments of the line – between the town of Theebine (known at... Continue Reading →
Robert Julian Scott, whose interests and accomplishments involved several modes of transportation during his many years in New Zealand, died in the city of Christchurch at the age of 69. Scott had been born in Plymouth, England, in 1861. After completing his education, he worked briefly for the London, Brighton, and South Coast Railway under... Continue Reading →
The Lamington Bridge was officially opened to traffic in the British crown colony (and present-day Australian state) of Queensland. The bridge, which is located in Queensland’s Fraser Coast Region, crosses the Mary River between Gympie Road in the town of Tinana and Ferry Street in the port city of Maryborough. The Lamington Bridge was named... Continue Reading →
Racewalking champion Jared Tallent was born in the city of Ballarat in the southeastern Australian state of Victoria. At the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, Tallent won his first Olympic medal when he finished third in the men’s 20 kilometers (km) race walk (a distance of 12.4274 miles). He earned a silver medal at those games... Continue Reading →
Image: Turning the first turf for the Sydney Railway, 1850. Lithograph by W. Harris. State Library of NSW collection. In Australia, a company to build one of the first public railway lines in the colony (now state) of New South Wales (NSW) was incorporated. The Sydney Railway Company was put into place to develop a... Continue Reading →
After three years of restoration by the South Australian Maritime Museum, the steam tugboat Yelta was relaunched for use as a floating museum for purposes such as sightseeing cruises. Yelta, which had been built in 1948 at the Cockatoo Island Dockyard in Sydney, operated in the waters of South Australia from 1949 to 1976. The... Continue Reading →
Construction on the Eyre Highway in Australia was completed with the permanent sealing of the South Australian section of this route with bitumen. This final section was the stretch of highway between South Australia’s border with Western Australia and the South Australian town of Penong. A ceremony to commemorate the event took place near Wigunda... Continue Reading →
In a major triumph, the Australian racing yacht Australia II won the America’s Cup. Australia II represented the Royal Perth Yacht Club of Australia. The America’s Cup defender, the New York Yacht Club, had held the sailing trophy since 1851. Australian sailor John Bertrand served as the skipper for Australia II, and he and his... Continue Reading →
Transportation History 