 Although both the Ewan W. Alison and its sister ship the Alexander Alison were purchased from their New Zealand operators for use on the Bruny Island run, the "Alexander Alison" sunk on April 30, 1960 while being towed across the Tasman Sea.Seven months later, the "Mangana" was successfully towed across the Tasman, and commenced operations on the Bruny Island run on March 27, 1961.The "Mangana" was named for a Chief of the Bruny Island people, whose daughter Truganini is generally considered to have been the last full-blooded Tasmanian Aborigine.