A Very Fine Line

40 As the sun rose over Sydney on March 14, 2025, a historic moment was unfolding in the harbor. Just east of the Heads, the 108,865-gt Pacific Adventure was slowly sailing towards its home port.  Arriving in Sydney is something the Grand-class cruise ship had done many times, continuing a tradition that dated to 1932, when the P&O liner Strathaird inaugurated local cruising from Sydney.  Since first arriving in Sydney in 2022, Pacific Adventure’s arrivals had become routine. But there was nothing routine about this arrival. After 92 years of cruising, P&O’s link to Australia was coming to an end.  A Storied History  P&O’s connection to Australia ran far deeper than its cruising ties, with the line’s link to Australia established at a time when the world was a far bigger place.  In the 1840s, it took an average of 121 days to travel from Britain to the Australian colonies by sailing ship. The Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Co. (P&O) were pioneers in global steamer services, yet despite success in Europe and the Middle East, Australia was a challenging prospect.  “To all intents and purposes, and particularly to Britain, Australia in the 1800s may as well have been on the moon,” says Robert Henderson. A former P&O employee, Henderson is a respected Australian maritime historian. He is also the curator of the Henderson & Cremer Collection — a treasure-trove of historic P&O artifacts and photographs.   “The distance to Australia, was ‘a mile too far away’ for the … engines that powered the early steam-ships,” Henderson notes, adding: “The constant question asked was how any ship could cope with the unknown southern seas, as the only routes to Australia, at the time, ran via The Cape of Good Hope, or via Cape Horn.”  An Australian Staple  P&O were granted their first contract for the Australian service in 1852. Their steamer Chusan made its maiden call in Melbourne on July 29, sailing on to Sydney a few days later.  P&O’s early years in Australia brought welcome change … yet it was not all smooth sailing. The Crimean War led to the line withdrawing from the Australian service in 1855 due to lack of available ships, and they were required to tender for the contract again — not regaining it until 1859, after which they established a monthly service.  As the Australian colonies grew, their reliance on the P&O steamer service became more diverse, with exporters becoming a major customer for the shipping line.  “The company’s involvement with Australian exports was legendary,” says Henderson. “The export of wool, the Australian wealth of minerals, and the important development of frozen and chilled meats, dairy, and fruits has the name of P&O stamped large.”  Henderson also notes: “Governments listened to the company when it (faced) trade and immigration questions.”  The line’s link to Australia extended past peacetime services. World War I and World War II saw many Australian servicemen sail to war aboard a requisitioned P&O steamer.  P&O’s ships were not only used to take Australian servicemen to war but were also requisitioned for repatriation voyages. The emotion of being reunited with loved ones, combined with a significant portion of the Australian population having immigrated on P&O ships, led to the line becoming firmly cemented in the Australian story.  Then Came Cruising The introduction of the white-hulled Strathnaver in 1931 led to a revolution on the Australian route. Larger than her forebears, the 22,283-grt liner brought a level of comfort not yet seen in the Southern Hemisphere. She was followed by four sisters, Strathaird, Strathmore, Stratheden, and Strathallan. During this period, P&O cruising was growing in popularity. Short pleasure voyages provided an affordable way to escape the…. By Chris Frame  EXCERPT ONLY. CLICK TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE This is an excerpt from the latest issue of Porthole Cruise and Travel Magazine. To continue reading, click above for a digital or print subscription.
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