Greetings, Can anyone assist me tracking down a ship launched in 1919 at Walsh Island ? This cargo ship was named the S.S.DELUNGRA and was the first of the steel ships built for the Commonwealth Government at the end of WW1. The small town of DELUNGRA , population 330, celebrates its Centenary Year on Australia Day 2007. I am gathering information on the above ship for a small celebratory publication. We know from newspaper cuttings much about this ship's birth, but little about its subsequent fate. The last we heard on the subject, is a local photo,of the SS DELUNGRA berthed at Launceston,TAS, during 1947. Perhaps one of our listers knows of this vessel and can give me some details. So far I have been unable to find any trace of the DELUNGRA at any on line site. The boat was constructed at the same time as BHP was fireing up, and that steelworks was only able to supply about fifty percent of the plate to the new Walsh Island complex. Any suggestions? thanks. RUSSELLEB

Below is an extract from a web site "Brew Family Ships". "SS Corio Reg. No. 128788, code lettering VJCG, a steel twin screw steamer of 3346 gross register tons and 1934 net, with 1 deck, and triple expansion steam engines which could attain 520hp. She was built in 1919, originally as M.V. Delungra, by the N.S.W. Government Dockyard in Newcastle, N.S.W., owned by Huddart Parker of Melbourne, and registered in that port. She had a length of 331 feet, a width of 47.9 feet and a depth of 26 feet. Albert Halewood Brew served on her from 5 - 17 August 1936, 18 August to 29 December 1936, 8 March to 20 September 1937, 21 - 25 September 1937, 28 October to 20 December 1937, 27 January to 26 April 1938, and 18 May to 22 July 1938 as an engineer in the Australian Merchant Service. Some 13 years later, on 26 February 1951, Corio was lost when she ran aground on Admella Rock on Carpenters Reef in South Australia, in heavy fog. She was on her way from Rapid Bay to Port Kembla with a crew of 43 and carrying a cargo of Limestone under the command of Master Charles M. Rasmussen. She lies at 38° Lat. 140 Long." John Tainsh Subject: [HV] S.S. DELUNGRA Can anyone assist me tracking down a ship launched in 1919 at Walsh Island ? This cargo ship was named the S.S.DELUNGRA and was the first of the steel ships built for the Commonwealth Government at the end of WW1.