New Australia
The New Australia began life as the luxury liner Monarch of Bermuda, built by Vickers-Armstrongs Ltd at their Walker-on-Tyne yard. Launched on March 17, 1931, by Lady Lewis and completed in November of that year, she would serve multiple roles throughout her 35-year career, from luxury cruise ship to wartime transport and finally as a vital part of Australia's post-war migration program.
Original Service as Monarch of Bermuda (1931-1939)
Originally designed for the prestigious New York to West Indies express cruise trade, the vessel featured magnificent Art Deco interiors that epitomized the height of fashion and style. Along with her consort Queen of Bermuda (completed 1933), she dominated the east coast United States/Caribbean service, with the pair earning the nickname "millionaire ships."
During this period, the Monarch of Bermuda achieved recognition for her role in rescuing passengers from the Ward Line cruise ship Morro Castle, which was found ablaze off the New Jersey coast. The Monarch successfully rescued many passengers and transported them to New York, while the Morro Castle eventually drifted onto the beach at Asbury Park where it burned out completely.
Wartime Service (1939-1947)
At the outbreak of World War II, the vessel was requisitioned as a troop transport, serving for eight years primarily carrying Australian and New Zealand military personnel, often traveling in convoy with other major liners.
Post-war Conversion and Australian Service (1947-1958)
Returned to Furness, Withy in 1947, the ship's fortune took another dramatic turn when she was gutted by fire on March 24, 1947. After a year's deliberation, the decision was made to rebuild her for the British Ministry of Transport. During this extensive reconstruction at Southampton, her profile was dramatically altered with the removal of her three funnels, replaced by a distinctive bi-pod 'mast' exhaust system.
Renamed New Australia, she commenced her new role on August 15, 1950, operating under the management of Shaw, Savill and Albion on the Southampton-Sydney route. She would serve as one of the most distinctive vessels in the Australian migrant service throughout the 1950s.
Final Years (1958-1966)
In 1958, she was sold to the Greek Line of Piraeus and registered in Andros as Arkadia. For her final years, she worked the trans-Atlantic route and later operated cruises from Southampton to the Canary Islands. The vessel's long and varied career came to an end in late 1966 when she was sold to Spanish breakers.
Key Facts
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Gross Tonnage | 20,256 tons |
| Length | 579 ft (176.5m) |
| Beam | 76 ft (23.2m) |
| Draught | 27 ft (8.2m) |
| Propulsion | Two General Electric turbine electrics (19,300 SHP) |
| Screws | Quadruple |
| Service Speed | 19 knots |
| Passenger Capacity | 1,593 (one class) |
| Crew | 485 |
| Passenger Decks | Five |