Topic: The Taioma Tug
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The Taioma Tug was moved into the Tauranga Historic Village in March 1979.
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The Taioma Tug was a Wellington Tug decommissioned and moved to Tauranga. In 1979 under the impetus of Bob Owen it was moved to the Historic Village in March 1979. Originally known as the Empire Jane but renamed Taioma. In 1968 involved in the attempted rescue of the inter-island ferry Wahine. In 1978 was exhibited in the Tauranga Maritime Museum and Heritage Village on 17th Avenue.
In 1999 it generated a lot of controversy over where it should rest and whether or not it should become a diving attraction. It was eventually scuttled off Mōtītī Island on 19 March 2000.
Were you there? What do you remember of this occasion?
Bob Owens speaking in front of the tug ‘Taioma’ 14 April 1979.
Tug Taioma at Sulphur Point on way to Tauranga Museum
Tug Taioma passing down Cameron Road on way to Tauranga Museum
This page was archvied at Perma cc March 2017 https://perma.cc/m3hv-lyv3
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I too spent time explorig the tug as well when I was young - it seemed huge to me then! The funnels looked like they would swallow a child quite easily.
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anonymous
from 1995 (when i was still at school) to 2000 when it closed was an amazing place and i worked in many of the stores and as a rides guard ... so had to brush up on the history
i remember when also too till a yrs or so when they closed the museum that you could go Inside the Taimoa and have a look and play aroound
but apparently some ppl went inside it and vandelised it (maybe after hours I was told) so they closed it off to preserve it ....
so Miss that place was prob the best place ive worked/volunteered at ever
Debbie McCauley (Tauranga City Libraries)
said Taioma - childhood memories
I remember playing on the Taioma as a child when it was at the Historic Village. It was just fantastic!
I also remember seeing her when she was on the move, on the way to be scuttled - it was an amazing sight but I felt quite sad that we were losing her.
Tags: Taioma