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Story: Roads

Auckland map, 1842

This plan of Auckland shows its streets and roads – or rather the lack of them – in 1842. At this time goods and people were mainly transported by sea – roads were just bare areas of earth that turned to muck whenever it rained.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library

Reference: MapColl-832.1291gbbd/1842/Acc.22934

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.

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How to cite this page

Carl Walrond, Roads – Early roads, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/zoomify/23289/auckland-map-1842 (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Carl Walrond, published 2 March 2010, updated 1 March 2016.