Operational service
Bought in September 1897 by the Adelaide Steamship Company [1] [2] and was rebuilt in 1904. [3]
She was gutted by fire on 6 March 1920. [4] The ship was carrying a cargo including 'benzine' and was near Dunk Island when, at 5 am, there was a violent explosion in the after hold, followed almost immediately by an explosion in the forward hold. Flames higher than the mast emerged from the after hold and set fire to the ship's boats and superstructure. The first mate was sitting on a hatch at the time of the first explosion and disappeared; some human bones were found later inside the vessel. [5] [6] He was the only fatality, although the engineer was badly burned. The crew fought the raging fire for some hours. The crew were rescued by the Karuah, with all being taken aboard by 1 pm. The Karuah towed the still blazing hulk to Townsville [4] and her crew later claimed salvage rights. [7]
The hull was rebought from the underwriters [8] and refitted in 1921 at the Cleveland Foundry slipway in Townsville. [9] She returned to service, in August 1921, carrying sugar. [10]
She was requisitioned by the RAN in June 1942 for service as a lighter during World War II and she was returned to her owners at the end of hostilities. She was sold in 1954 to Hopewell Steam Shipping Company Ltd and renamed Kgari. [3]
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Australia
