﻿ Troop Ships to Migrant Liners: Immigration Museum

Troop Ships to Migrant Liners

During the Second World War migrant ships were redeployed to war service as armed cruisers, floating hospitals and troop ships. The pier, once again, became a departure point for Australian troops.

After the war, many ships that had carried soldiers were hastily converted to meet an urgent demand for migrant transportation. Passenger comforts on such ships were extremely limited.

With the sudden increase of postwar migration, as well as the rise in tourist and business trade, shipping lines realised the potential profits to be made. A more competitive market rapidly developed after 1948 with the introduction of new purpose-built migrant liners.

After hitting a sand-bar we sprang a leak, but kept on going. Then we hit a storm on the Indian Ocean, lost an engine and had to pitch round and tie down everything. Lots of water damage to luggage.John Mackay migrated from Britain in 1971.