Hobson’s Bay plays vital role for Australian economy

For about 12 years from 1916, the Commonwealth Government operated a shipping company known as the Commonwealth Line. During 1916, prime minister W.M. (Billy) Hughes bought 16 British cargo vessels because he was aware that Australian products might be overlooked by shipping companies while World War I was raging. The export of wool and wheat were vital for the Australian economy.

Most of the Commonwealth Line’s ships were cargo vessels, of which more than 20 were built at Australian shipyards between 1920 and 1924, but during 1921 and 1922, five  passenger liners were built for the line at shipyards in the UK. These ships, with names taken from bays in Australia, were the Esperance Bay, the Hobson’s Bay, the Jervis Bay, the Largs Bay and the Moreton Bay. Initially they were designed to carry 720 third-class and 12 first-class passengers but later they were altered to carry about 750 in third class. Four of them were regular callers to Melbourne over more than 30 years.

The Hobson’s Bay berthed at Port Melbourne on her maiden voyage early in the morning of April 7, 1922 with new settlers from the UK. When she departed Melbourne on May 10 for the return leg of her maiden voyage, she demonstrated the other vital function of the five sisters. As well as providing economical passages to Australia, the liners carried Australian products to the markets of the UK and Europe. The new Hobson’s Bay loaded 5000 tons of cargo, including canned fruit, dried fruit, apples and pears, and carcases of mutton. Her compartments, for the carriage of soft fruit, were filled with grapes and oranges.