The SS ‘Edina’ is one of the most remembered vessels that plied the waters of Victoria’s Port Phillip Bay. Often referred to as the ‘Old Lady of Port Phillip’. Her active service included the North Sea trade, ‘Crimean War’, ‘American Civil War’, Victoria’s west coast run, New Zealand to Melbourne trade, Queensland coastal trade, and of course, the Port Phillip Bay runs between the years 1880 to 1938. ‘SS’ being an abbreviation for ‘Screw Steamer’ signifying that she was propelled by a steam engine rotating a single propeller, or ‘screw’ as it was know at the time.Model of a well known bay steamer operating in Port Phillip between 1880 and 1938.Model of SS Edinamodel, ss edina, screw steamers, port phillip, bay steamers

Door key tab from the USS Weeroona when requisitioned by the US Army for war service. It was used throughout WWII as a barracks and quarter ship throughout the war. A round brass key tab used by the US Army on the Weeroona.U.S.S. Weeroona 90uss weeroona, wwii, key tab

In the early 1920s Australia was gifted six J class submarines from the Royal Navy. These were the latest and largest submarines built by the RN for service in World War I. They were competent but were in service with the Royal Navy for only a short time before the end of the war. Once in Australia they were placed into service but there was little appetite for submarines or in fact any other military endeavour in the early ‘twenties’. The world was exhausted from a long and dirty war followed by a devastating Influenza Epidemic. The J class boats were soon retired and sunk as breakwaters or scuttled in the ship graveyard area off the mouth of Port Phillip Bay.Popular diving sites in Ships Graveyard outside the rip between Point Lonsdale and Barwon HeadsCircular brass plaque inscribed with J5 North Sea 1917 1918 made from a piece of navigational equipment used on the submarine J5 mounted on woodSubmarine J5 North Sea 1917 - 1918j class submarines, j5, ships graveyard, port phillip

HMS J3 (later HMAS J3) was a J-class submarine operated by the Royal Navy and later the Royal Australian Navy. After the war, the British Admiralty decided that the best way to protect the Pacific region was with a force of submarines and cruisers. To this end, they offered the six surviving submarines of the J-class to the Royal Australian Navy as gifts. J1 and her sisters were commissioned into the RAN in April 1919, and sailed for Australia on 9 April, in the company of the cruisers Sydney and Brisbane, and the tender Platypus. The flotilla reached Thursday Island on 29 June, and Sydney on 10 July. Because of the submarines' condition after the long voyage, they were immediately taken out of service for refits. Apart from local exercises and a 1921 visit to Tasmania, the submarines saw little use, and by June 1922, the cost of maintaining the boats and deteriorating economic conditions saw the six submarines decommissioned and marked for disposal.The wreck of JR can still be seen off Swan Bay2 propellers from the J3 submarine 'HMAS Reaper'j3, j class submarines, hmas reaper

Flashlights where a vital tool for night time map reading, signaling with coloured lenses and many other uses. The blackout during the war also meant for a extended popularity of flashlights. Many carried them onto the streets to see as the streetlights where very rare and to top that of mostly blacked out. Most flashlights where fitted with blinds or coloured lenses to hide the bright light they produced. These coloured lenses where also used to signal between individual soldiers. Mostly used in the 1940s by the military and civilians alike. A small metal light signal box or flashlight.Petrix No. 678signal box, flashlight, petrix 678

The donor's husband served in the navy and used this mattress on a hammock during war years.A single mattress stuffed with waddingEssanjay Mfg. Co. Sydney 1941 palliasse, hammock

Arthur V Gregory b.1867, d.1957 worked from studio at 326 Albert Road South Melbourne established by his father G F Gregory in 1852. FALIE operated for many years as a cargo ship, largely around South Australia where it formed a strong regional association. During World War II, FALIE was requisitioned by the Royal Australian Navy for service, and was on patrol off Sydney Heads during the mini-submarine raid on Sydney Harbour in May 1942. After the war it returned to commercial service and was retired in 1982. It was then the last working ship representing the South Australian ketch fleet, and along with NELCEBEE ( HV000419) one of the last two working sail powered cargo vessels in South Australia.Water colour painting in painted gilt frameFalie off Cape Schank A.V. Gregory 1934falie, a.v. gregory, water colour, painting

Menus used on P&O liners SS Himalaya and SS Arcadia 1955-56. After the Great war of 1914-18, Australia experienced what up until then had been its biggest surge in immigration from Europe. Australia was seen as the great land of opportunity and became one of the top places to migrate to, particularly from Britain. The increase in migration to Australia led Britain’s leading shipping line to the Far East, the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company (P&O;), to invest in a fleet of new ships of around 20,000 tonnes each to handle the business coming their way.29 Cruise Ship Menus from P&O cruises 1955-56Peninsula & Oriental Steam Navigation Companycruise liners, migrants, menus, p&o

Bass Strait passenger ship Nairana. Built for Bass Strait ferry operator Huddart Parker & Co. Ltd. of Melbourne during World War One, the Nairana was requisitioned by the Royal Navy and completed as a seaplane carrier, HMS Nairana. Serving from 1917 to 1920 participating in the capture of Archangel during the Bolshevik Revolution. After 1920 she was decommissioned as a seaplane carrier and returned to her Australian owners crossing Bass Strait until she was laid up in 1948. Just off Port Phillip Heads on April 12 1936, a strong wave struck the Nairana, tipping her over for two minutes before she righted herself again. During the horrifying two minutes, four people were drowned, and eight people were injured. The ship was reportedly carrying roughly one tonne of concrete in the hull when she tipped. Reports from the local papers said that it was a tidal wave meanwhile others were saying it was either an earthquake or a total lie. A later paper said that the ship had been caught in a rip at the mouth of the bay, causing the tragedy. The S.S Nairana, was sold for £4,000 (over $170,200 in today’s money!) in 1951 after two years of being stranded on the beach at Port Melbourne, when the moorings broke one night during a storm and drifted ashore, causing her to wreck.Items associated with the TSS/HMS Nairana in its military and civilian roles and items relating to Capt. JF Spence, navigation Officer and possibly later the captain who sailed with the Nairana out of Plymouth after WWI. .01 Barometer and Clock from Dining Saloon .02 Commemorative plaque describing the HMS Nairana's WWI service with timber mount for plaque with information sheet attached. .03 Clock Key .04 Two 2 Log books owned by Capt. Spence containing the navigation calculations for the journey from Plymouth to Melbourne. .05 Huddart Parker hat badge [Capt. JF Spence].Barometer and Clock from dining saloon, TSS Nairana 1917 - 1951 Clock Key - 4 50-No9 Hat badge - HPtss nairana, wwi, bass strait, huddart parker, capt. spence

The SS Edina's active service included the North Sea trade, ‘Crimean War’, ‘American Civil War’, Victoria’s west coast run, New Zealand to Melbourne trade, Queensland coastal trade, and of course, the Port Phillip Bay runs between the years 1880 to 1938.A saloon swivel timber chair with green velvet cushion and cast iron base from the SS Edinachair, steamers, ss edina

Removed from HMAS Canberra before being scuttled. HMAS Canberra was an Adelaide class guided missile frigate of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). Based on the Oliver Hazard Perry class design, Canberra was one of four Adelaide class ships constructed in the United States of America, and one of six to serve in the RAN. The frigate entered service in 1981. During her career, Canberra was assigned to escort the Royal Yacht Britannia during Queen Elizabeth II's visit in 1988, helped enforce the post-Gulf War United Nations' sanctions against Iraq during 1992 and 1993, was part of the Australian responses to the 1998 Indonesian riots and the 2000 Solomon Islands Civil War, and returned to the Persian Gulf in 2002 as part of the War in Afghanistan. In 2005, Canberra became the first ship of her class to be decommissioned. The frigate was marked for conversion into a dive wreck and artificial reef off Barwon Heads, Victoria, and was scuttled on 4 October 2009. Electric emergency light, fixed mountedwarning lights, hmas canberra

World wars experiences of a ship's CaptainWorld war shippingWeekend Herald article re Capt. J E Hughes' experiencesReverse " NIL ".historical references

Formerly of Station Works, Wakering Road, Barking, Essex, Henry Browne & Son were important British compass makers. The company was founded in the nineteenth century in Barking and London. They were respected English instrument makers who made fine quality compasses, ships clocks, inclinometers, sextants and chandlery items for over 140 years. Their "Dead Beat" compass, which was well dampened to reduce oscillation, was fitted to many Allied ships during the Second World War. Sestrel was their famous Trade Mark brand. The company was sold to John Lilley & Gillie Ltd and SIRS Navigation, both UK companies, in 1993. Example of a hand held compass used in WWIIA Sestrel hand held bearing compass with wooden handle in own glass fronted, wooden container.Sestrel Henry Browne & Son Ltd Barking Londoncompass, navigation

The Hygeia was used built in 1890 and could carry 2000 passengers.It was used to transport passengers from Melbourne to Queenscliffe as well as English Royalty at times.RealismBlack & white photograph of the "HYGEIA" at Queenscliffe wharfHYGEIA 1903 on the reversesteam ship, "hygeia, queenscliffe wharf

Drawings of typical types of tall ships and descriptions on a pamphlet produced by Time Life Books and used to promote their books.Realism, historical, designYellow paper pamphlet showing 4 tall ships and their type and is used to promote their books.On the reverse - "NIL."tall ships, brigantine, sloop, naval sloop, man-o-war

Time-Life Books insert of typical Man-of-War style boats/shipsColoured print of a typical Man-of-War by Time-Life Books- un-named boatRefer Notes section for detailstypical man-of-war drawing

History of the post World War II Migrant Ship Fairsea. The Fairsea made several journeys to Australia under the International Refugee Organisation (IRO) from 1949 to 1951, carrying displaced persons affected by World War II. She was later chartered by the Australian Government to transport assisted immigrants from Britain and also New Zealand between 1949 and 1969.MRs B SmythA framed oil painting of the migrant ship MV FairseaFairseamv fairsea, migrant ships

After World War II Lloyd Triestino re-established its Australian service with existing ships and began a rebuilding programme ordering seven new liners. Of these new liners three were for the Australian service, launched in 1950 these three ships became known as the Triestino Trio. The first to be built was the Australia launched on 21 May 1950, departing Trieste on 19 April 1951 and arriving in Melbourne on 17 May. The second ship Oceania launched on 30 July 1950, departed Genoa for its maiden voyage on 18 August 1951.The third, Neptunia, launched on 1 October 1950, departing on its maiden voyage on 14 September 1951 and arriving in Brisbane on 18 October.A framed oil painting of the migrant ship 'MV Australia'Australiamv australia, migrant ships

Owned by the Sitmar Line, the 'Castel Felice' operated on the Australia migrgant route from the 60s to the 70s prioir to air travel in the mid 70s. Mrs B SmythA framed oil painting of the migrant ship 'MV Castel Felice'Castel Felicemv castel felice, migrant ships

SS Roma was laid down in 1942 at the Seattle-Tacoma SB Corporation plant and was launched as “Glacier” on September 7, 1942. Like quite a few ships, it was during her building as a C3 cargo ships that she was transferred under the “Lend Lease Agreement” to the Royal Navy and redesigned and built as the escort aircraft carrier HMS Atheling. After the war she was purchased by the Lauro Lines and rebuilt as the modern passenger liner Roma. She departed on her maiden voyage from Genoa bound for Australia in August 1951 arriving in Fremantle on October 1, continuing to Melbourne and arriving in Sydney on the 17th. She then went north to Brisbane before returning home. Mrs B SmythA framed oil painting of the migrant ship SS Roma.Romass roma, migrant ships

The Australis retains a significant place in Australian immigration history as the last ship to carry government assisted immigrants to Australian shores in 1977. She had the largest passenger capacity of any post World War II immigrant ship to regularly visit Australia and many passengers fondly remember her grandeur and remnants of Art Deco style.Mrs B SmythA framed oil painting of the migrant ship SS AustralisAustralisss australis, migrant ships

Demonstrating cutting edge maritime military technology, the Cerberus patrolled the waters in and around Melbourne, protecting it and its rich gold resources from attack. The Victorian gold rush coincided with growing instability in Europe. Britain and Russia prepared to face each other in battle as the threat of a second Crimean War grew.The HMVS Cerberus was one of only three vessels of its exact type ever built, and is the only surviving example of this type of vessel in the world. It is also the only substantially intact warship of Australia’s pre-Federation colonial navies. This shipwreck rests in shallow waters at Black Rock, Melbourne.HAnd built timber model of the HMVS CerberusCerberushmvs cerberus, model making

Ordered in 1938 to replace the aging ships on the Dutch East Indies route, her keel was laid in 1939 at De Schelde shipyard in Vlissingen, Netherlands, for Rotterdamsche Lloyd (now Nedlloyd). Interrupted by World War II and two bombing raids, the ship was finally launched in July 1946, as Willem Ruys. The ship was named after the grandson of the founder of the Rotterdamsche Lloyd who was taken hostage and shot during the war.B SmythA framed oil painting of the Dutch vessel Willem Ruys which was later refitted to become the Lloyd Triestino 'Achille Lauro'.Willen Ruysmv willem ruys, ms achille lauro, migrant ships

Three Victory Class ships, S.S. Cranston Victory, S.S. Costa Rica Victory and the S.S. La Grande Victory, were built for the “United War Shipping Administration” as troop and cargo ships. Their war time duties were short lived as they were soon sold to the Dutch Government for the use as troop transport ships and Migrant ship to the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. These three ships were built toward the end of World War II, and were part of the new larger improved version of the famed “Liberty” ships. Each ship had strengthened hulls for them to go into the war zone, but by the time they were completed the war was coming to an end. There were ninety seven Victory troop transport ships built, each able to transport up to 1600 troops. Unlike the Liberty ships, all accommodation was fully ventilated and heated. There was the usual meagre style troop bunks, a hospital, galleys, washrooms and even a several public rooms. The first of the trio, S.S. Cranston Victory (Zuiderkruis) was built by the Oregon Shipbuilding Yard in Portland; Oregon was launched on May 5, 1944. The second of the series, S.S. Costa Rica Victory (Groote Beer) was built by Permanente Metals Co, Richmond California and launched on June 17, 1944. The last of the three was the S.S. La Grande Victory (Waterman), which like her sister S.S. Cranston Victory, was built by the Oregon Shipbuilding Yard in Portland, Oregon and launched on January 16, 1945.In November 1951, the third of the trio, La Grande Victory, renamed Waterman, was completed and at 9,176-tons, commenced her first voyage to Australia.A framed oil painting of the migrant ship MV WatermanWatermanmv waterman, liberty ships, migrant ships

She was among many Allied merchant ships who escaped to Britain rather than be interned in occupied countries in World War II. Together with Holland America Line's Nieuw Amsterdam she served in the Allied cause. She was then chartered to the British Ministry of War Transport and put into service. Under the terms of the charter the flag and crew would remain Dutch. Volendam was assigned to the Children's Overseas Reception Board, a British Government scheme introduced in 1940 to evacuate UK school children overseas. She sailed from Liverpool on Thursday 29 August 1940 as one of 33 ships in Convoy OB 205. On 30 August 1940 whilst several hundred miles off Malin Head, Northern Ireland and heading into the Atlantic, she was attacked about 2300 hrs by the German submarine U-60, firing two torpedoes that hit No. 1 hold and damaged and caused flooding in No. 2 hold. Captain Wepster then gave the order to abandon ship, and despite rough seas all 18 lifeboats got away safely.In 1947 she was used in the Australia emigrant service and in June 1948 made her first Rotterdam – Quebec sailing for the Netherlands government with capacity for 1,500 single class passengers. On Tuesday October 17, 1950 she departed Rotterdam for Sydney, arriving 6-weeks and 1 day later at her destination on Wednesday November 29, 1950. She brought with her a ship-load of (mainly Dutch) immigrants, all eager to forge new lives in Australia. In September 1948 she started her first Rotterdam – New York sailing and commenced her last voyage on this route in February 1951.A framed oil painting of the MV Volenda,Volendammv volendam, migrant ships, troop ships, u boat attack

SS New Australia was a UK-built turbo-electric passenger steamship that had a varied career from 1931 to 1966. She was built as the ocean liner Monarch of Bermuda, was a troop ship in the Second World War and was damaged by fire in 1947. She was then refitted to carry emigrants to Australia and renamed New Australia. In 1958 she was refitted again, renamed Arkadia and served as both a transatlantic liner and a cruise ship.The ship originally had three funnels. Thornycroft rebuilt her with a single funnel, plus an unusual bipod structure aft of her bridge that served as both a funnel and a mainmast. The MoT renamed her New Australia, contracted Shaw, Savill & Albion Line to manage her and put her into service carrying UK emigrants to Australia. She plied this trade from 1950 until 1957. In September 1958 New Australia was serving as a troop ship again when she suffered slight damage in a collision with a tanker in the Torres Strait.a framed oil painting of the migrant ship MV New AustraliaNew Australiamv new australia, migrant ships

After World War II Lloyd Triestino re-established its Australian service with existing ships and began a rebuilding programme ordering seven new liners. Of these new liners three were for the Australian service, launched in 1950 these three ships became known as the Treistino Trio. The first to be built was the Australia launched on 21 May 1950, departing Trieste on 19 April 1951 and arriving in Melbourne on 17 May. The second ship Oceania launched on 30 July 1950, departed Genoa for its maiden voyage on 18 August 1951.The third, Neptunia, launched on 1 October 1950, departing on its maiden voyage on 14 September 1951 and arriving in Brisbane on 18 October. In 1963, Australia, Oceania and Neptunia were withdrawn from the Australian trade and transferred to the Italia line. The Australia was renamed the Donizetti, Oceania renamed Rossini and Neptunia renamed Verdi.Mrs B SmythA framed oil painting of the migrant ship MV NeptuniaNeptuniamv neptunia, migrant ships

Completed in December 1910 as a steam passenger ship she was requisitioned as a troop transport for the Australian Expeditionary Force (AEF) in 1914. She was returned to the owner in 1920 only to be requisitioned again in 1940 by the Admiralty for use as a troopship. After the war, the Ascanius brought Jewish emigrants from Marseilles to Haifa and was sold to Italy and renamed San Giovannino for Cia de Nav. Florencia (A. Motosi), Genoa in 1949. B Smythe An oil painting of the SS AscaniusAscaniusss ascanius, troop transport, aef, wwi, wwii, migrant ship