Skip to main content

Story: Freight and warehousing

Bullocks pulling cart

Image
Bullocks pulling cart

Knee-deep in mud, a team of bullocks strain to pull a wagon in Auckland in the mid-19th century. The bullockies who drove these teams epitomised the rugged frontier spirit and colonial male ‘mateship’ of the age. From Kaitāia to Bluff they were known for using bad language to spur the beasts to greater efforts.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library

Reference: 1/2-016305; C

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

All images & media in this story

How to cite this page

Matthew Wright and Megan Cook, Freight and warehousing – Road and rail to the early 20th century, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/23455/bullocks-pulling-cart (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Matthew Wright and Megan Cook, published 4 March 2010.