Skip to main content
Search form
Search
TODAY IN HISTORY
See more
1820, First European plough used in New Zealand
May
3
Topics
Events
People
Places
Home
Events
24 December
24 December
1953
Tangiwai railway disaster
The worst railway disaster in New Zealand’s history occurred on Christmas Eve 1953, when the Wellington–Auckland night express plunged into the flooded Whangaehu River, just west of Tangiwai in the central North Island.
Read more...
This Week in History
29 April
1864
Assault on Gate Pā
30 April
1864
Pai Mārire defeated at Sentry Hill, Taranaki
1 May
1893
'King Dick' Seddon becomes premier
2 May
1868
First shipment of salmon and trout ova arrives
3 May
1820
First European plough used in New Zealand
4 May
1772
Marion du Fresne arrives in the Bay of Islands
5 May
1833
James Busby arrives in the Bay of Islands