Brief History of Camerons in Wellington and Wairarapa
On 23 December 1940 the 375-ton barque Blenheim anchored off Kaiwharawhara, Wellington, after leaving Greenock, Scotland on 24 August 1840, bringing the first organised group of Scottish immigrants to New Zealand. There were 203 passengers, many of them Gaelic speaking Camerons from Lochaber, Morven and Skye.
As an aside, it is understood that the Blenheim had previously made 3 voyages to Australia as a convict ship. In 1846 the ship went missing on a voyage from London to Quebec.
Some of the Cameron immigrants from the Blenheim would later settle in the Wairarapa and Rangitikei/Wanganui areas.
Many of the current members of the Branch are descendants of these early settlers.
On 29 December 1935, the Clan Cameron Association of New Zealand was founded following a meeting of local Camerons with the Captain of the P & O Liner Orama. The ship was anchored in Wellington Harbour and the Captain was Evan P Cameron, a representative of Lochiel.
As an aside, during World War II the Orama was used as a troopship. It was used to transport the British Expeditionary Force to Norway following the German invasion of Norway. On 8 June 1940 the ship was sunk 300 miles west of Navik by gun fire from the German heavy cruiser Admiral Hipper.
Branch Contacts
Branch President: Graeme Cameron
Wairarapa Contact: Rob Cameron
Treasurer: Catherine Cameron 
