Melbourne Steamship Limited

 In 1895, this became the name of the former Melbourne Coal Shipping & Engineering Company Limited, having over several earlier decades managed several shipping groups. “Melbourne Steam” by the late 1930s was operating on the eastern, southern and western coasts of Australia. The start of the Second World War saw the company with five ships:

Ship

Built

Gross Tons

In Service

Coolana 1921 2197  
Duntroon 1935 10514  
Ellaroo 1921 4655  
Lowana 1924 3031  
Mernoo 1926 1926  

Coolana was shelled by an enemy submarine off Cape Howe on 7 August 1942 but escaped. Duntroon was taken up under requisition in October 1939 with the intention of its conversion to an Armed Merchant Cruiser but this did not go ahead. Requisitioned again in February 1942 she commenced duty as a troopship and continued transporting personnel, including at war’s end, returning prisoners-of-war in late 1945. She later served on charter to the Royal Australian Navy.