The stamp issue marks the 150th anniversary of the beginning of the Sydney to San Francisco mail steamer service. The Pacific route – made possible after the completion of the transcontinental American railway – offered a shorter alternative to the main route of passage between England and Australia, via Egypt and Sri Lanka (then Ceylon).
The first attempt at establishing a regular steamship service between Australia, New Zealand and the US west coast was made in 1870. For its first five years, the service was complex and changing, but the controversial, often-Sydney-based American agent, HH (Hayden Hezekiah) Hall, secured the initial contract for the service with the New Zealand government. After some pressure from New Zealand, the New South Wales colonial government agreed to provide a subsidy for the service, although only for 12 months.
Hall operated the monthly service via Hawaii for about a year. He ran two steamships on the route, chartering the SS WONGA WONGA and SS CITY OF MELBOURNE from the Australasian Steam Navigation Co. The WONGA WONGA was the first to ply the route, departing Sydney for Honolulu via Auckland on 26 March 1870 and arriving at Honolulu on 19 April; the CITY OF MELBOURNE began its voyage from Sydney on 27 April. During the first year of service, the steamships would travel as far as Honolulu, at which point passengers and cargo would be transferred to the US steamers IDAHO and AJAX, which continued on to San Francisco. The first vessel to complete the full route from Sydney to San Francisco was the CITY OF MELBOURNE, which departed Sydney on 4 May 1871.
$1.10 - SS WONGA WONGA
The stamp illustration is a watercolour on board of the SS WONGA WONGA by ship enthusiast and maritime painter (Charles) Dickson Gregory (1871–1947). Many of his paintings, including this one, are held in the collection of State Library Victoria.
The WONGA WONGA carried a large spread of canvas to catch the winds and help propel it across the long route, for which the coal-carrying capacity was limited. The ship could steam at around 10 knots, consuming around 28 tons of coal per day.
https://australiapostcollectables.com.a ... er-service
Built as an iron-hulled 3 mast steamship by James & George Thomson, Govan, Scotland for the Australasian Steam Navigation Company (ASN) in Sydney.
15 May 1854 launched as the WONGA WONGA, Wonga Wonga was a type of pigeon found along the east coast of Australia, and there was also a Wonga Wonga vine.
Tonnage 444 gross, dim. 63.2 x 7.71 x 5.09m.
Powered by sail and an auxiliary steam engine. ?hp.
Accommodation for? passengers.
After her arrival in Australia, she was used in the regular service between Melbourne and Queensland. At that time she was the fastest ship in Australian waters.
1868 Was she lengthened, tonnage 662 gross, dim. 74.03 x 8.38 x 5.05m.
At that time her engine power is given as 270 nhp.
1870 Was she chartered for service between Australia to San Francisco via Honolulu, first used till Honolulu later the service was extended to San Francisco.
1880 was she scrapped which was completed in January 1861 in Sydney.
Source Miramar and various internet sites.
Australia 2020 $1.10 sg?, scott?