To take advantage of increasing tourism on Lake Wakatipu in the early 20th century, the government decided that a new lake steamer was needed. Its preference was for New Zealand shipbuilders. The Dunedin naval architect Hugh McRae provided the design and the tender was let to John McGregor and Co. of Dunedin, which had built Otago Harbour ferries. The keel was laid down at McGregor’s on 4 July 1911. By September the frame, shown here, had been formed.
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Reference: EL0760
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