BELLE OF THE BAY
A classic wooden ferry, a young woman with a vision, and a Warkworth community that rallied around both – the restoration of Bay Belle is a story about far more than a boat.
Built in 1960 and once a familiar sight carrying passengers across the Bay of Islands, the former Fullers ferry Bay Belle has recently undergone an extraordinary transformation in Warkworth. After retiring in 2011, the classic wooden ferry sat idle for years before being purchased by young Aucklander Kate Farrant, who saw potential to reimagine the vessel as a floating pizzeria and social hub on the Hauraki Gulf.
Bay Belle spent decades operating as both a Cream Trip vessel and the well-known Paihia-to-Russell ferry, carrying generations of locals and visitors alike. The idea for her next chapter was sparked by life on Rakino Island and a successful small pizzeria servicing the boating community in summer. With that business closed, the baton passed to Kate to continue the legacy.
Kate purchased the vessel while in Europe, crewing aboard a traditional sailing vessel where she worked as a cook. She returned home to begin what became a full-scale restoration.
For six months, Warkworth became the heart of that journey. Hauled out under cover for extensive structural and fibreglass work, Bay Belle's restoration drew together volunteers, tradespeople, travellers, former crew members, and local businesses. At times the project resembled a floating commune more than a boat rebuild – with crews couch-surfing, living in vans and on boats, cooking meals onboard between long days of sanding, glassing, and rebuilding decks. Former skippers reconnected with the vessel, businesses donated materials and expertise, and kind strangers arrived with gifts, food, encouragement, and stories of their own connection to the ferry.
Somewhere among the chaos, Bay Belle became more than a restoration project. What started as one person's ambitious idea evolved into a shared mission to preserve a piece of maritime history and bring people together – and for Kate, the overwhelming support and generosity of the Warkworth community became the fuel to see it through to the end.
Follow Bay Belle's journey and show support at the link below.