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Story: Kermadec Islands

Harvesting oranges, Raoul Island

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Harvesting oranges, Raoul Island

Orange trees were planted on Raoul Island in the 1930s, with the aim of establishing commercial orchards. Although the trees thrived, the lack of a port meant that the fruit could not be readily exported. The photograph was taken as a publicity image in the early 1940s, but most of the oranges rotted on the ground.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library, John Sorensen Collection

Reference: PAColl-8938-05-146

by John Sorensen

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

Simon Nathan, Kermadec Islands – Raoul Island, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/37383/harvesting-oranges-raoul-island (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Simon Nathan, published 28 November 2012.