The family immigrated to Dunedin, NZ with their 8 children on the Nourmahall on the 20 May 1858 - a trip of 54 days non-stop from Bristol (Somerset) in England. Ann had been very ill for most of the journey so they decided to stay in Dunedin rather than continue on to Auckland as intended.

Shipping News: Otago Witness May 15 1858. The "Nourmahal" left Plymouth on the 8th February: John Jefferis  wife 4 sons and 4 daughters

May 5, Nourmahal, 884 tons, Capt Brayley; She has passengers for three New Zealand ports.

May 8 1858 The "Nourmahal" from London, has arrived, and is now at the Heads. She has 263 passengers, including 26 in the cabin - 164 are for Otago

May 15 1858: The arrival of the "Strathfieldsaye" and the "Nourmahal" has made a very considerable addition to our population. There are: 29 ploughmen, 6 shepherds,  4 blacksmiths, 72 labourers, 15 carpenters, 1 butcher, 1 saddler, 64 domestic servants.

The Jefferis family settled with their eight children to the North Taieri near Dunedin. The 105 acre "Park Farm" was too small to financially support the family while undertaking the breaking in the land. The Jefferis's used bullocks for stumping the trees and for ploughing crops of wheat and oats. The sons gained valuable experience and additional income by contracting their labour and enabled farm stock to be purchased. John extended their home to take advantage of the Central Otago gold rush, opening it as the "Racecourse Hotel". The isolated families without roads and bridges required tuition for their children so daughter Lucy opened a private school the Jefferis Hotel, teaching up to 12 pupils despite having no training in education and despite [oor health. When Lucy married in Aug 1860, her school closed.

Otago Daily Times , 19 Feb 1862: Bush License - Hotel. Situation of Premises. Name of Applicant. John Jefferis North Taieri.

Apr 1862: During the. races two robberies were perpetrated at the West Taieri, near the Racecourse. Two hotelkeepers, named Barr and Jcfferies, were severally robbed of sums of money - in one e instance by the thief abstracting a cash-box from a bedroom during the evening, and escaping by the window, and in the other, by the robber withdrawing the cash-box from under the head of the sleeping Boniface. This second rascal was not so adroit as his fellow, for the publican awoke, and although an old man, succeeded in keeping the intruder until help arrived. The police captured the other robber, and both have been committed for trial.