THE 3C STORY

The Colonial Carrying Company of New Zealand – Customs, Shipping & General Colonial and Foreign Carriers and Express Forwarding Agents – was incorporated in Wellington in 1893.

Traversing vast oceans, the Company brought to these shores any and everything needed to build a life and create a nation. From tools, household furnishings and clothing, to domestic appliances, farming machinery – and, yes – an abundance of Number 8 wire. With agencies around the globe, the Company firmly established itself as a vital lifeline to New Zealand’s burgeoning islands and the needs of its people. 

And what a treasure trove the Company was. For as well as the providing the mundane and practical, the air was redolent with exotic spices; shelves filled with fine goods and delicacies of places near and far; all the essentials to satisfy a vibrant growing nation thirsting for the accoutrements of a better life.

In the 1920s, at the height of its glorious trading activities, the Company commissioned architects Natusch & Sons to design new headquarters at 56 Victoria St. An icon of the times, the Free Gothic style building housed the business’s offices and warehouse during its heyday as a leading city business.

With a new century comes a new life. It’s a life that echoes the rich heritage of those early adventuring pioneers. Reinvented as 3C Bar and Restaurant, the Colonial Carrying Company of the 21st century evokes all the romance and anticipation of its trading origins.

With the stylish, intimate comfort of the colonial clubs of old, albeit with the added comforts of contemporary living, 3C offers the promise of adventure, a seasoning of heritage, a celebration of the exotic – with a taste of the best the world has to offer.