Australia

The Australia was one of three identical passenger liners (known as the "Australia" class) built by Cantieri Riuniti dell'Adriatico in Monfalcone, Italy for Lloyd Triestino's post-World War II Australian service. These vessels marked a significant milestone as the first new European passenger ships to serve the Australian route after World War II.

Construction and Technical Details

The three sisters were launched in 1950: Australia on 21 May, Oceania on 30 July, and Neptunia on 1 October. They were completed between 1950 and 1951, with Australia making her inaugural voyage from Genoa to Sydney on 19 April 1951.

Service History 1951-1963

The vessels were designed to meet the huge post-war demand for passenger transport, particularly serving Eastern European migrants seeking new lives in Australia. Initially configured with three classes accommodating 280 first-class, 120 second-class, and 392 third-class passengers, the ships were later modified to operate with just two classes. Their air-conditioned comfort gave them an advantage over competitors operating converted troop carriers.

Later Years and Fate

In 1963, following the introduction of larger liners Galileo Galilei and Guglielmo Marconi, the "Australia" class vessels were sold to Italia Line for service between Genoa and Chile. They were renamed after famous musicians: Australia became Gaetano Donizetti, Oceania became Giuseppe Verdi, and Neptunia became Gioacchino Rossini. After monopolizing the Chilean service for 14 years, the ships were sold for scrap.

Key Facts

Specification	Details
Built by	Cantieri Riuniti dell'Adriatico, Monfalcone
Gross Tonnage	13,140
Length	528 ft (160.9 m)
Beam	69 ft (21 m)
Draught	27 ft (8.2 m)
Propulsion	Two Sulzer diesels (14,000 SHP)
Speed	18 knots
Passenger Capacity	Initially 792 (280 first, 120 second, 392 third)
Crew	236
Registry	Italian (Genoa)