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BULOLO passenger and cargo ship built for Burns, Philp & Company
BULOLO passenger and cargo ship built for Burns, Philp & Company

BULOLO passenger and cargo ship built for Burns, Philp & Company

Subject or historical figure (Australian, 1884 - 2006)
Model Maker (Scottish, founded 1884)
Date1938
Object number00018170
NameModel
MediumWood, bronze, brass
DimensionsDisplay dimensions: 920 × 440 × 2600 mm

ClassificationsModels
Credit LineANMM Collection Gift from Burns, Philp & Company Limited
Collections
DescriptionShip builder's model at a scale of 1:36 of Burns, Philp & Co Ltd vessel MV BULOLO. It was commissioned into the Royal Navy during WWII.HistoryThe shipping line Burns, Philp & Co Ltd was incorporated in 1883. The company's early operations included running small stores on Queensland's Gympie goldfields and shipping goods between Brisbane and Sydney. The company expanded and began shipping between Australia and the South East Pacific running numerous plantations and warehouses overseas. In the interwar period of the 20th century Burns, Philp & Co became an established name in Australia; their ships were clearly recognisable by their Scotch Thistle flag. They operated on the Australian Stock Exchange until December 2006 when they were divided and sold. MV BULOLO was launched on 31 May 1938 at Glasgow, Scotland. It was ordered by Burns, Philp & Co, who used the vessel to fulfill their mail service contract with the Australian government. It visited many ports in Australia, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, New Hebrides, Norfolk and Lord Howe Islands. BULOLO ran 8 trips as a merchant vessel before being commissioned into the Merchant Navy on 22 September 1939 to serve as a convoy escort. In 1942 BULOLO was made into a Landing Ship Headquarters and a communication centre for the Allies in Algiers, Sicily, Anzio and Normandy. BULOLO was eventually handed back to Burns, Philp & Co in 1948 and was once more used as the Commonwealth's mail service. It also ran as a passenger liner accommodating over 200 guests with luxuries including a cinema, stateroom and glass deck swimming pool. For 20 years it was the largest liner to travel between Australia and Papua New Guinea on a regular basis. In January 1968 Burns, Philp & Co sold the vessel to Chinese buyers who scrapped it in May 1968.SignificanceThis ship model is representative of the merchant vessel MV BULOLO, flagship of one of Australia's most established merchant companies, Burns, Philp & Co Ltd. It was active in the development of trade networks between Australia and the South East Pacific.