Burns Philp

Burns Philp (properly Burns, Philp & Co, Limited) was a major Australian shipping line and merchant that operated in the South Pacific. In later years the company was a major player in the food manufacturing business. Since its delisting from the Australian Securities Exchange in December 2006 and the subsequent sale of its assets, the company has mainly become a shell company. It is wholly owned by Graeme Hart's Rank Group (not to be confused with the British company of the same name).

History

In April 1883 James Burns and Robert Philp began a trading partnership, originally named the "Burns, Philp & Company Limited".[1] They were the first company to offer tourism to New Guinea, in 1884, advertising the 'New Guinea Excursion Trip'.[2] This consisted of a five-week trip from Thursday Island and has been described as the "official beginning of tourist cruises in the South Pacific".[3]

The Burns Philp fleet

The ships owned and operated by Burns Philp included:

SS Titus was a 789 gross tons steam ship, built in 1878 by Alexander Stephen & Sons, and purchased by Burns Philp in 1896. She sailed to destinations in the South Pacific including the Solomon Islands, Papua, New Guinea and the Gilbert and Ellice Islands.[10] Laid up 1908.[11]

SS Makambo was a 1,159 gross tons passenger-cargo ship built for Burns Philp in 1907 by the Clyde Shipbuilding & Engineering Co., Greenock Scotland.[11][12] Transferred to Burns Philp (South Seas) Ltd in 1933 and registered in Suva, Fiji. Sold in 1935.[11]

SS Mataram was a 3,331 gross tons passenger-cargo ship built for Burns Philp in 1909 by the Clyde Shipbuilding. Engaged in the Sydney, Java and Singapore service; then the New Guinea service, and finally the Solomon Islands service. Sold in 1935.[11]

SS Matunga was a 1,618 gross tons passenger-cargo ship, built by Napier and Miller, Glasgow and originally named Zweena. Purchased by Burns Philp in 1910 for the Solomon Islands service.[11][13] On 6 August 1917, while en route from Sydney to Rabaul, she was captured by the German raiding ship Wolf, then sunk.[11]

SS Montoro was a 4,507 gross tons passenger-cargo ship, built in 1911 by Clyde Shipbuilding. Operated the Australia, Java and Singapore service until the mid-1920s; then the Australia to Papua, New Guinea and Darwin service. Requisitioned for war service 1939 to 1945. She remained under charter to the Australian Government from 1945 to 1948. Sold for breaking up in 1948.[14]

SS Morinda was a 1,971 gross tons passenger-cargo ship built in 1913 by the Grangemouth Dockyard Company. Operated between Australia, Papua, New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, the New Hebrides (now Vanuatu), Lord Howe and Norfolk Islands. Requisitioned for war service in December 1941. After 1945 she returned to the Australia, Papua, New Guinea and the Solomon Islands service until she was sold for breaking up in 1952.[14]

SS Marella was a 7,475 gross tons passenger-cargo vessel, built in 1914, she was a German steamer handed over as to the British Government as World War I reparations. She was purchased by Burns Philp and renamed Marella in 1921. Operated on the Australia to Singapore service. Requisitioned for war service 1939 to 1945, then she returned to the Australia to Singapore service until 1949, when she was sold and was broken up in 1954.[14]

SS Mangola was a 3,350 gross tons passenger-cargo ship, built in 1920 by the Commonwealth Naval Dockyard, Sydney, and originally named Eudunda. She was purchased by Burns Philp and renamed Mangola in 1926. Operated on South East Asia and South Pacific routes, including Singapore, the Straits Settlements (now Malaysia), Burma (now Myanmar), Nauru, Papua, New Guinea and Darwin. Requisitioned for war service 1941 to 1945. She was returned to the Australia to Singapore service. In 1949 she was transferred to the Australia to Papua and New Guinea service. She was sold in 1957 and broken up in 1964.[14]

MV Merkur was a 5,952 gross tons passenger-cargo vessel, built in 1924. Sister ship to MV Neptuna. Purchased by Burns Philp in 1935. Operated on the Australia to Singapore service. Requisitioned for war service 1941 to 1945. From 1946 she remained under charter to the Australian Government. She was returned to Burns Philp in 1949, and was sold for breaking up in 1953.[14]

MV Neptuna was a 5,952 gross tons passenger-cargo vessel, built in 1925. Sister ship to MV Merkur. Purchased by Burns Philp in 1935. Operated on the Australia, Papua, New Guinea, Philippines, Hong Kong and Saigon service. Requisitioned for war service in 1941. She was sunk in Darwin Harbour on 12 February 1942 during a Japanese air raid.[14]

MV Malebar was a 4,512 gross tons passenger-cargo vessel, built in 1925 by Barclay Curle & Co. Operated the Melbourne, Sydney, Java and Singapore service. Wrecked on 2 April 1931 in fog at Miranda Point near Sydney.[11]

MV Macdhui was a 4,561 gross tons passenger-cargo vessel, built in 1930 by Barclay Curle & Co. Operated on the Australia to Papua and New Guinea service. Sunk on 17 June 1942 during a Japanese air raid on Port Moresby.[14][15][16]

MV Malaita was a 3,310 gross tons passenger-cargo vessel, build in 1933 by Barclay Curle & Co. Operated on the Australia to the Solomon Islands service and was involved in the evacuation of women and children following the outbreak of war with the Japanese. Requisitioned for war service in 1941, Malaita survived a torpedo fired by the Japanese submarine JAPANESE SUBMARINE Ro-33, near the Port Moresby Harbour entrance on 23 August 1942.[14][17] Sold in 1965.[11]

MV Tulagi was a 2,281 gross tons cargo vessel, built in Hong Kong in 1939 by the Hong Kong and Whampoa Dock Co. Operated on the Australia to the Pacific Islands and the west coast ports of North America, then the Australia to Papua, New Guinea and Darwin service. Requisitioned for war service, she was torpedoed on 27 March 1944 in the Indian Ocean by the German submarine U-532.[14]

MV Muliama was a 689 gross tons cargo vessel, which could carry refrigerated cargo, built in Hong Kong in 1938 by the Hong Kong and Whampoa Dock Co. Operated on the Australia to Papua, New Guinea and Rabaul service. After the bombing of Darwin on 19 February 1942, she participated in the cargo shuttle service from Cairns and Thursday Island to Darwin. Returned to Burns Philp in 1945, she sailed to destinations in the South Pacific including Solomon Islands, Papua, New Guinea and the Gilbert Islands and Ellice Islands. She was sold in 1957.[14]

SS Burnside was a 5,659 gross tons passenger-cargo ship that was under construction by Barclay, Curle & Co at the outbreak of World War II. Requisitioned for war service by the British Ministry of War Transport in 1940. In 1946, Burns Philp gained control of the ship and she operated on the Australia to Singapore and Malaysia service.[14] Sold in 1964.[11]

References

Douglas, N. and Douglas, N. (1996) "Tourism in the Pacific: Historical factors" in Hall, C.M. and Page, S.J. (eds.) Tourism in the Pacific: Issues and Cases, London pp. 65-80^

Sydney Morning Herald, 16 February 1884 in Douglas, N. (1994) "Electric Shadows in the South Seas: The Pacific Islands in film" in D. Aoki (ed.) Moving Images of the Pacific Islands: A Guide to Films and Video, Center for Pacific Island Studies: Honolulu, p. 40^

Douglas, N. (1994) 'Electric Shadows in the South Seas: The Pacific Islands in film' in D. Aoki (ed.) Moving Images of the Pacific Islands: A Guide to Films and Video, Center for Pacific Island Studies: Honolulu, p. 40^

Picturesque Travel. Cairns Post (Qld. : 1909 - 1954), 1913-12-19, retrieved 2020-09-09^

Picturesque Travel www.slq.qld.gov.au, retrieved 2020-09-09^

David Russell Lawrence. The Naturalist and his "Beautiful Islands": Charles Morris Woodford in the Western Pacific ANU Press, October 2014^

Douglas, N. and Douglas, N. (1996) "Tourism in the Pacific: Historical factors" in Hall, C.M. and Page, S.J. (eds.) Tourism in the Pacific: Issues and Cases, London p. 27^

David Russell Lawrence. The Naturalist and his "Beautiful Islands": Charles Morris Woodford in the Western Pacific ANU Press, October 2014^

John E. Hoskin. Burns Philip Flotilla-Australia, 2018, retrieved 3 April 2019^

David Russell Lawrence. The Naturalist and his "Beautiful Islands": Charles Morris Woodford in the Western Pacific ANU Press, October 2014^

Ron (Steve) Wylie. Burns Philip The Australian Merchant Navy, retrieved 21 March 2008^

Buckley, K. and Klugman, K. (1983) The Australian Presence in the Pacific: Burns, Philp 1914-1946, George Allen & Unwin: Sydney^

How MV "Macdhui" Was Lost XIII(1) Pacific Islands Monthly, 17 August 1942, retrieved 28 September 2021^

G. Herman Gill. Royal Australian Navy, 1942–1945 Australian War Memorial, 1968^

Burns, Philp & Company Ltd. History Funding Universe, retrieved 2 April 2019^

Report of investigation: Burns Philp and Co Ltd Australian Securities and investment Commission (ASIC), December 1998, retrieved 2 April 2019^

retrieved 13 October 2018^

retrieved 1 August 2014^

Former Burns Philp Building Whitsunday Regional Council, retrieved 25 July 2019^

Burns Philp Queensland Business Leaders Hall of Fame, retrieved 7 August 2017^

type	Shell company
industry	Shipping
founded	April 1883
founder	James Burns and Robert Philp
hq location city	Sydney, New South Wales
hq location country	Australia
owner	Graeme Hart
parent	Rank Group

History

The Burns Philp fleet

Expansion of business

Change of control

Heritage listings

Awards

Further reading

External links

References