Coastal passenger steamers in Australian waters provided, for many years, the
only means of transport between major centres of population, and even when the
railways began to link some of the towns and districts with the nearest major
city, passenger steamers retained a substantial patronage.
It was only the introduction of regular air services, and rising costs of
operation and replacement , after World War II, that forced the cessation of
almost all coastal passenger shipping services.
For more than a century passenger steamers figured largely in the conversation
and calculations of a great many people resident in all parts of the country.
Many of their names are still quite familiar, however it appears to be
increasingly difficult to obtain reliable information about many of these ships.
This work offers the basic detail and a brief outline history of every major
(and most other) coastal passenger ships that has serves the Australian
traveller since 1831. It however, does not include harbour, river or estuary
shipping.
