Finding the unexpected in the everyday.
In Australia, a record-setting passenger ferry began her maiden voyage. MS Empress of Australia, which was built for and operated by the Australian National Line (ANL), departed Sydney in New South Wales for Hobart in Tasmania amid a great deal of fanfare. “Bright lights, streamers, cabin parties and ship-side crowds heralded the beginning of the... Continue Reading →
In Australia, the original Como Rail Bridge was opened in the colony (now state) of New South Wales. The bridge made its debut on Boxing Day – a holiday celebrated the day after Christmas in several regions throughout the world, including Australia – and crosses the Georges River between the Sydney suburbs of Oatley and... Continue Reading →
On New Zealand’s North Island, a new vehicular bridge spanning the Waikato River was opened. Victoria Bridge serves as a link between the town of Cambridge and a community that is now known as Leamington. Plans for a bridge at that location had been under development for several years. New Zealand surveyor and engineer James... Continue Reading →
Construction began on a swing bridge crossing Cockle Bay in Darling Harbour and connecting the community of Pyrmont with Sydney’s central business district in the Australian colony (now state) of New South Wales. This new bridge was built to replace one that had been in existence since 1857. The older structure was a wooden pile... Continue Reading →
More than a half-century after establishing a record for walking around the world, Dumitru Dan died in the city of Buzău in his native Romania at the age of 88. His path to international fame began in 1908 while he was a student in Paris. The Touring club de France initiated a contest for circumnavigating... Continue Reading →
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 →
Transportation History 