Australis

[Doc Vernon]

Australis in Sydney.jpg




The Chandris Lines began trading to Australia in 1959. ​Generally, their first liner, ​the 1,000-passenger​ Patris, ​sailed from Piraeus and Limassol to Fremantle, Melbourne and Sydney via Port Said and Aden. First under the advertising name of the Europe-Australia Line, the Chandris “Down Under” service was a huge, rapid​success. Soon, a string of even larger secondhand liners were added such as the Ellinis, the Australis, the Queen Frederica and the Britanis. These other ships did, however, expand the service to Northern Europe, to Bremerhaven, Rotterdam and Southampton. They were “full-up” on every outbound sailing, especially after Anthony Chandris secured the prized Australian Government contract to carry the low-fare, so-called “new settlers”.



​The 33,500-ton Australis -- the former America of United States Lines and dating from 1940 -- was considered the Chandris flagship and appears in our new book Great Mediterranean Passenger Liners.​

[Ken Trehearne]

Self, spouse and young son sailed UK to NZ on the Ellinis in 1964 - not as 10 pound poms (Persons of Merit) as we sold our house in Bristol which paid fares, even after paying the Building Society back. Interesting times in 1964 as all our household goods, including some furniture, was carried as personal baggage at no cost. We brought two largish crates made by me from timber given away by W D & H O Wills Bedminster (Bristol) factory. Best move we ever made as NZ has been very good to us. Now, not shifting to nowhere nohow.
KenT