SS Koolinda
From Our Contribution
 | |
 SS Koolinda at Darwing wharf Northern Territory Library hdl:10070/70753 | |
| History | |
|---|---|
| Name | SS Koolinda |
| Owner | Western Australian State Shipping Servce |
| Builder | Harland & Wolff, Glasgow |
| Yard number | 728 |
| Launched | 26 Aug 1926 |
| Completed | 1926 |
| In service | 1927 |
| Out of service | 1959 |
| Fate | scrapped in Hong Kong December 1959 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | passenger & cargo motor vessel |
| Tonnage | 4,372 |
| Length | 344 feet (105m) |
| Beam | 50 feet (15m) |
| Depth | 28 feet 6 inches (8.69m) |
| Propulsion | 2 x 8 cylinder, 4 stroke diesel engines |
| Speed | 14 knots (26 kmh) |
Contents
Remarks
Koolinda was used mostly for passenger and general freight transport on coastal routes in Western Australian waters. The State Shipping Service of Western Australia was established in 1912 with coastal ships operating as far north as Darwin. In May 1932, Koolinda famously narrowly missed seeing two German aviators lost on the Kimberley coastline. The men were eventually found close to death.
The commencement of the Second World War saw the Service running three ships Koolama, Koolinda and Kybra. Koolinda was used to carry evacuees from Darwin and PNG 1941-1942. Koolinda made over 16 trips into Darwin before making her final journey carrying evacuees. In the aftermath of the battle between HMAS Sydney and German auxiliary cruiser Kormoran in November 1941, the Koolinda recovered German sailors from a 31-man lifeboat and returned them to Carnarvon.