
Last modified: 2016-09-21 by ian macdonald
Keywords: gyspum resources australia | gra | huddart parker | hp | hp&co | melbourne steamship co | north coast s.n. co. | m s coy | n c s co | cross (red) | saltire (blue) | 
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![[Macleay River Co-operative Steamship Co. houseflag and funnel]](../images/a/au~mrcs.gif) image by Neale Rosanoski, 
9 March 2010
 image by Neale Rosanoski, 
9 March 2010
Macleay River Co-operative Steamship Co. Operated the "Tamban" in 1915 
apparently selling it in the same year, though this is not clear, for the 
Macleay Farmers Co-op Society. The Log of 11/1996 has the flag as blue with a 
yellow diamond bearing a blue "M".
Neale Rosanoski, 
9 March 2010
![[McIlwrath McEacharn Ltd. houseflag and funnel]](../images/a/au~mml.gif) image by Neale Rosanoski, 
9 March 2010
 image by Neale Rosanoski, 
9 March 2010
McIlwrath McEacharn Ltd. Originated 1875 [Lloyds quote 1884 so there may be doubt] in London and originally traded as the Scottish Line, also basing itself in Melbourne which eventually became its base, and is still operating. The flag has a resemblance to the Scottish Royal Standard with the early sources (Liverpool Journal of Commerce and Griffin both 1883 showing yellow with a red lion rampant within a red frame.
![[McIlwrath McEacharn Ltd. houseflag and funnel]](../images/a/au~mml2.gif) image by Neale Rosanoski, 
9 March 2010
 image by Neale Rosanoski, 
9 March 2010
This version is shown thereafter by most sources up until around WW2 except for Talbot-Booth who drops the frame but comments that it did once have a border as in the Scottish Flag [Merchant Ships 1942].
![[McIlwrath McEacharn Ltd. houseflag and funnel]](../images/a/au~mml1.gif) image by Neale Rosanoski, 
9 March 2010
 image by Neale Rosanoski, 
9 March 2010 
Then the Brown editions from 1943, Stewart 1963 and The Log 1985 restored the 
frame, but as a double one and, whilst Stewart and The Log retained the lion 
rampant, Brown made it passant.
 Neale Rosanoski, 
9 March 2010
![[McLean's Roylen Cruises Pty. Ltd houseflag and funnel]](../images/a/au~mrc.gif) image by Neale Rosanoski, 
9 March 2010
 image by Neale Rosanoski, 
9 March 2010
McLean's Roylen Cruises Pty. Ltd. Based Mackay and cruising the Barrier Reef 
until recently, they use a deep orange [noted as "rather than red" so must be 
capable of being taken as either] flag with a white circle edged blue bearing a 
blue "R" slightly slanted, the emblem being placed towards the hoist as per The 
Log 11/1990.
Neale Rosanoski, 
9 March 2010
![[McMekan, Blackwood & Co. houseflag and funnel]](../images/a/au~mbc.gif) image by Neale Rosanoski, 
9 March 2010
 image by Neale Rosanoski, 
9 March 2010
McMekan, Blackwood & Co. Known as the Blue Emu Line and operated by James 
McMekan and John Blackwood operating in partnership from 1852, forming the 
Adelaide, Melbourne & Otago S.S. Co. in 1856 and ceasing operations in 1878. The 
flag was blue with a white circle bearing a blue emu and in each corner of the 
flag a white star. Source The Log 8/1986.
Neale Rosanoski, 
9 March 2010
 image by James Dignan, 10 Oct 2003
image by James Dignan, 10 Oct 2003
A blue flag, with a white horizontal band crossed by a red vertical band. The 
letters "M S Coy" are spread across the white band, with the "S" placed on the 
red band.
Source: The dumpy book of ships and the sea [sam57]
James Dignan, 10 October 2003
The Melbourne Steamship Company was formed in 1895 from a merger of three shipping companies.
Phil Nelson, 10 October 2003
According to articles in The Log
(Nautical Assn. of Australia) the white and red bands were broad and the
lettering was "MSCo" not "MSCoy" with the "o" not being enhanced
although an illustration in Marine News 7/1970 shows it being enhanced.
This publication shows an image in black and white and does not specify the
lettering colour, showing it, like Sampson [sam57], in black. The Log is more
specific giving the "M" and "Co" as blue and the "S" as white and
portrayed as being slightly larger though it is noted that a company menu, and possibly an actual flag, are known to
have shown all blue lettering.
Neale Rosanoski, 17 January 2005
![[Melbourne Steam Ship Co. houseflag and funnel]](../images/a/au~mssc.gif) image by Neale Rosanoski, 
9 March 2010
 image by Neale Rosanoski, 
9 March 2010
Melbourne Steam Ship Co. An unincorporated company under which Captain William 
Howard Smith, founder of Howard Smith Ltd., operated until 1883. The flag was 
red with a black diamond placed centrally and per field corners the white 
letters "MSSCo" from The Log 5/1988.
Neale Rosanoski, 
9 March 2010
![[Metro Meat Ltd. houseflag and funnel]](../images/a/au~metro.gif) image by Neale Rosanoski, 
9 March 2010
 image by Neale Rosanoski, 
9 March 2010
Metro Meat Ltd. of Adelaide was involved in shipping both live sheep and 
carcasses with chartered shipping, their flag being white charged with a green 
stylized "M" logo from The Log 5/1987.
Neale Rosanoski, 
9 March 2010
![[R.W. Miller & Co. Pty. Ltd. houseflag and funnel]](../images/a/au~mc.gif) 
![[R.W. Miller & Co. Pty. Ltd. houseflag and funnel]](../images/a/au~mc1.gif) image by Neale Rosanoski, 
9 March 2010
 image by Neale Rosanoski, 
9 March 2010
R.W. Miller & Co. Pty. Ltd. Originally involved from 1907 in stevedoring and 
lighterage in Sydney, mainly in the coal trade, R.W. Miller & Co. Ltd. was 
formed in 1919 changing 1938 to R.W. Miller & Co. Pty. Ltd. Later owned by 
Howard Smith Ltd. and then Coal & Allied Industries Ltd. fading away from the 
shipping scene in the early 1990s. The original flag was blue with a yellow 
saltire and the yellow letters "RWMCo." In the respective quarters sourced from 
Brown 1958, US Navy 1961 and The Log 5/1985, later changed with the addition of 
an ampersand as recorded by The Log 8/1987.
Neale Rosanoski, 
9 March 2010
![[Moreton Tug & Barge Co. Pty. Ltd. houseflag and funnel]](../images/a/au~mtbc.gif) image by Neale Rosanoski, 
9 March 2010
 image by Neale Rosanoski, 
9 March 2010
Moreton Tug & Barge Co. Pty. Ltd. Based in Brisbane and formed 1975, its tugs 
were merged into the fleet of Riverside Coal Transport Co. Pty. Ltd. around the 
end of the 1980s with The Log showing a flag of a horizontal biband of blue over 
red and overall the white letters "MTB".
Neale Rosanoski, 
9 March 2010
![[Murray Steamship & Tourist Co. Pty. Ltd.  houseflag and funnel]](../images/a/au~mstc.gif) image by Neale Rosanoski, 
9 March 2010
 image by Neale Rosanoski, 
9 March 2010
Murray Steamship & Tourist Co. Pty. Ltd. Operated the paddle steamer "Canberra" 
on the River Murray from 1970 to 1992 with The Log 5/1981 giving a flag based on 
the Murray River Ensign with a flag bearing a red cross charged with 5 white 
stars, the 1st quarter being white with the black [assumed] letters "MSTC" and 
the other 3 quarters of the field each having 4 horizontal bands of white/blue.
Neale Rosanoski, 
9 March 2010
![[Nauru Corp. (Victoria) Inc. flag]](../images/a/au~nauru.gif) image by Jarig Bakker, 18 Dec 2005
 image by Jarig Bakker, 18 Dec 2005
Nauru Corp. (Victoria) Inc., Melbourne - blue flag, in
center white 12-pointed star, charged with a yellow standing anchor
outlined blue.
(note that the Nauru-star has been redone by the ship's
carpenter/flaggenist).
Source: Brown's Flags and Funnels of Shipping Companies of the World [lgr95].
Jarig Bakker, 18 December 2005
![[Newcastle and Hunter River Steamship Company]](../images/a/au~nhrss.gif) image by Miles Li, 6 August 2016
 
image by Miles Li, 6 August 2016
The house flag of Newcastle and Hunter River Steamship Company (1892-1956).
Source: 
Peter Plowman, "Passenger Ships of Australia & New Zealand", Volume I, Doubleday, 
Sydney, 1981. ISBN 0868240362
Miles Li, 6 August 2016
![[Newcastle Steamship Co.  houseflag and funnel]](../images/a/au~nsc.gif) image by Neale Rosanoski, 
9 March 2010
 image by Neale Rosanoski, 
9 March 2010
Newcastle Steamship Co. Operated between 1874 and 1891 before merging into the 
Newcastle & Hunter River Steamship Co. Ltd. The flag was white with a red 
diamond from The Log 2/1992.
Neale Rosanoski, 
9 March 2010
![[Nicoll Brothers of Sydney houseflag and funnel]](../images/a/au~nbc.gif) image by Neale Rosanoski, 
9 March 2010
 image by Neale Rosanoski, 
9 March 2010
Nicoll Brothers of Sydney. Scottish migrants operating from about 1877 until 
1905 both on the Richmond and Tweed as well as intercolonial and to the 
Islands in a series of partnerships or joint ventures as well as in their own 
name. George continued until 1905 but younger brother Bruce got out of 
shipping about 1899. According to a description in The Log of 8/1991 and 
2/1992 their flag was red with a white rectangle bearing a blue "N"
Neale Rosanoski, 
9 March 2010
![[North Coast S.N. Co. Ltd flag]](../images/a/au~ncsc.gif) image by Jarig Bakker, 17 Jan 2005
 image by Jarig Bakker, 17 Jan 2005
North Coast S.N. Co. Ltd., Sydney N.S.W.: quartered flag of blue and red; in all quarters white "NCSCo.".
Source: Brown's Flags and Funnels of British and Foreign Steamship Companies [wed26].
Jarig Bakker, 17 January 2005
North Coast Steam Navigation Co. Ltd. Formed 1891 by the merger of John See & 
Co. and the Clarence, Richmond & Macleay Rivers Steam Navigation Co. finally 
folding into voluntary liquidation in 1954.
Neale Rosanoski, 9 March 
2010
![North West Shelf Shipping Service Co. Pty. Ltd. houseflag and funnel]](../images/a/au~nwsss.gif) image by Neale Rosanoski, 
9 March 2010
 image by Neale Rosanoski, 
9 March 2010
North West Shelf Shipping Service Co. Pty. Ltd. A consortium formed by 7 
companies including Broken Hill Pty. Co. Ltd. and Woodside Petroleum Ltd. to 
operate a fleet of LPG carriers from Dampier to Japan although their name does 
not appear in Lloyds with the ships being handled through Australian LNG Ship 
Operating Co. Pty. Ltd. The flag from The Log 2/1992 is blue with towards base a 
narrow red band edged white and above this the white lower case letters slightly 
slanted of "nws". I assume that the shade of blue is a deep sky in line with 
that of the ship funnels.
Neale Rosanoski, 
9 March 2010
![[Oceangas Services Australia Pty. Ltd flag]](../images/a/au~ogsa.gif) image by Eugene Ipavec, 2 April 2012
 
image by Eugene Ipavec, 2 April 2012
This interesting flag is displayed at the Low Head Pilot Station Museum (Tasmania, AU).
Aleksandar Nemet, 13 March 2010
The ensign at the Low Head Pilot Station is the house flag of Oceangas Services Australia Pty. Ltd..
Neale Rosanoski, 20 March 2010
 A very dark blue, with the southern cross in white in the hoist half, 
stars with 7 and 5 points as in the Australian national flag, but tilted 
slightly towards the upper hoist corner. In the fly is a fish in white outlined 
black, "breathing" a red flame.
Jonathan Dixon, 2 April 2012
The very same fish appears on the house flag of the French shipping company "Gazocean", 
probably not the result of a mere coincidence.
Ivan Sache, 2 April 
2012
Post 1912
![[O'May Shipping Company houseflag post-1912]](../images/a/au~omay1.gif) image by Eugene Ipavec, 10 Aug 2009
 image by Eugene Ipavec, 10 Aug 2009
The site of the State Library of Tasmania briefly presents the O’May shipping company:
Robert O'May (...) with his brothers, Thomas and James founded the Hobart-Bellerive ferry service. (...) In 1912 the O'May Brothers who owned and operated the trans-Derwent ferries merged with the Rosny Estates Company to encourage property development on the Eastern Shore. The venture failed and the company folded but the O'Mays continued their ferry service. However it became largely redundant when the floating arch bridge (in Hobart) was opened in 1943.O'May operations started, I believe, in 1870.
A small house flag (part of a display set, not an original) is presented here (image clickable). Described as red with a black and white centre, this really means a red field
bearing, in the centre, a disk horizontally divided white above black.
Jan Mertens, 10 August 2009
Pre-1912 (before merger)
![[O'May Shipping Company houseflag before 1912 merger]](../images/a/au~omay2.gif) image by Eugene Ipavec, 19 Aug 2009
 image by Eugene Ipavec, 19 Aug 2009
More pictures from SLT show a disk divided white above blue, such as found in
a 1910 Christmas card. This and similar pictures originated before 1912 showing a conjectural O’May house flag preceding the 1912 merger.
Jan Mertens, 10 August 2009
O'May Brothers, Ferry operators in Hobart from 1863 with a red flag having a 
white circle divided horizontally white over blue as shown by The Log 2/1991. 
The actual flag as displayed by the State Library of Tasmania site has the 
circle slightly smaller and appears to show the circle as white and black. 
However a close look at the photo appears to show blue tints suggesting that the 
black is actually a dark blue. In 1912 the brothers merged into the Rosny 
Estates & Ferry Co. retaining the flag. The company went into liquidation in 
1926 but in 1927 it was restructured as O'May Bros. Pty. Ltd. and continued 
trading until 1939 when the Tasmanian Government legislated that the Hobart 
Bridge Co. Ltd. have sole rights to transport across the Derwent River.
Neale Rosanoski, 10 March 2010
![[Origin Energy Contracting Ltd. houseflag and funnel]](../images/a/au~oec.gif) image by Neale Rosanoski, 
7 March 2010
 image by Neale Rosanoski, 
7 March 2010
Boral Gas Ltd. Formed in 1946 as Bitumen & Oil Refineries (Australia) Ltd. it 
changed to Boral Ltd. in 1964. They appear to have entered shipping around 1968 
through their subsidiary Liquefied Gas Carriers (Fiji) Ltd. who flew their flag, 
then taking direct control of the fleet around 1990, their flag, from The Log 
8/1985, being white with a horizontally halved panel of yellow over green placed 
below the black legend "BORAL". At the end of 1999 the energy side of the Boral 
business was separated from the building and construction materials side and 
placed under a new company, Origin Energy Contracting Ltd. Their flag, being 
white containing the first two words of their title, and is made a bit interesting 
by the use of differing colours [see larger image 
taken from a funnel photo to more clearly show the makeup of the "O"], the flag being sighted and photographed by 
myself being 
flown by the "Pacific Gas" in 2003.
 Neale Rosanoski, 7 March 2010
![[Orion Expedition Cruises Pty. houseflag and funnel]](../images/a/au~orion.gif) image by Neale Rosanoski, 
10 March 2010
 image by Neale Rosanoski, 
10 March 2010
Orion Expedition Cruises Pty. Ltd. Formed Sydney in 2004 and commenced cruises 
in 2005 with the chartered "Orion" flying a blue flag bearing a white emblem of 
an "O", the sides of which appear to narrow in a 3 dimensional effect, pierced 
by a spear placed aslant with point to upper fly. The flag has been taken from 
their website (http://www.orioncruises.co.au) 
and a photo of the ship.
 Neale Rosanoski, 10 March 2010
![[Pacific Tug Pty. Ltd. houseflag and funnel]](../images/a/au~ptug.gif) image by Neale Rosanoski, 
10 March 2010
 image by Neale Rosanoski, 
10 March 2010
Pacific Tug Pty. Ltd. Was a tug operator at Brisbane owned by the Peters 
brothers until 1987 when bought out by Adelaide Steam and Howard Smith Ltd. The 
Log of 2/1989 gives a red flag with a white "P".
 Neale Rosanoski, 10 March 2010
![[James Paterson & Co. Pty. Ltd. houseflag and funnel]](../images/a/au~pater.gif) image by Neale Rosanoski, 
10 March 2010
 image by Neale Rosanoski, 
10 March 2010
James Paterson & Co. Pty. Ltd. Formed Melbourne in the 1850s and originally 
involved in the coal trade and towage, the company eventually ended up in 1961 
owned by Boral Gas Ltd. and its ships were 
disposed of. The flag, from Lloyds 1904 & 1912, Talbot-Booth 1937-1949, Loughran 
1979 and The Log 11/1988, shows as blue with a yellow cross surmounted by a red 
cross paty, and in the field corners the white letters "JP&Co".
 Neale Rosanoski, 10 March 2010
James Patrick & Co. Pty. Ltd. Originated 1919 with James Patrick forming the 
Patrick Steamship Co. Ltd. which went into liquidation in 1923. In 1925 he 
bounced back to form James Patrick & Co. Ltd. which adopted its current name in 
1938. A shipowner until 1962, the company became involved in shore activities as 
agents and then as a major force in stevedoring. It has now declined and is 
noted in government records as being in the process of voluntary liquidation. 
The flag had Scottish tones being yellow with a red thistle within a double 
tressure flory counter flory which is covered by Talbot-Booth Merchant Ships 
1949, Brown 1943 & 1951 and The Log 5/1988. The Brown editions show it in the 
name of the Patrick S.S. Co. Ltd.
 Neale Rosanoski, 10 March 2010
![[Papuan Liner Services Pty. Ltd. houseflag and funnel]](../images/a/au~pls.gif) image by Neale Rosanoski, 
10 March 2010
 image by Neale Rosanoski, 
10 March 2010
Papuan Liner Services Pty. Ltd. A joint venture of two Australian companies in 
the 1970s with a red flag having a yellow border top and bottom and bearing a 
white diamond bearing the black letters "PSL" from The Log 5/1986.
 Neale Rosanoski, 10 March 2010
![[Pilbara Harbour Services Pty. Ltd. houseflag and funnel]](../images/a/au~phs.gif) image by Neale Rosanoski, 
10 March 2010
 image by Neale Rosanoski, 
10 March 2010
Pilbara Harbour Services Pty. Ltd. Formed in 1974 with amongst its services 
being tug operations until around the late 1990s and it now goes by the name of 
Pilbara Bus Services Pty. Ltd. Its flag, from The Log 8/1991 and Sea Breezes 
6/1979, was blue with a yellow triangle issuant from the hoist displaying a tug 
and along the hoist in vertical line the letters "PHS" all in blue.
 Neale Rosanoski, 10 March 2010
![[PNG Express houseflag and funnel]](../images/a/au~pnge.gif) image by Neale Rosanoski, 
10 March 2010
 image by Neale Rosanoski, 
10 March 2010
PNG Express. Another service operated out of Australia by Schoeller Holdings 
Ltd., the flag logo shown on their website
http://www.schoeller-holdings.com 
shows an orange field with a blue border chief and base and the blue letters 
"PNG". Possible the group colours are meant to be standard though the images and 
the funnel colours indicate that they do in fact vary with the orange in some 
cases being more of an air-sea rescue reddish shade.
 Neale Rosanoski, 10 March 2010
![[Port Jackson & Manly Steamship Co. Ltd. houseflag and funnel]](../images/a/au~pjms.gif) image by Neale Rosanoski, 
10 March 2010
 image by Neale Rosanoski, 
10 March 2010
The Port Jackson & Manly Steamship Co. Ltd. Originated in 1877 as the Port Jackson Steam Boat Co. Ltd. with the colours of the original flag unknown but being a dark saltire on a light field. In 1881 it was reincorporated as the Port Jackson Steamship Co. Ltd. and by the 1890s was using a red flag with a white cross and in the quarters the white letters "PJSCo".
![[Port Jackson & Manly Steamship Co. Ltd. houseflag and funnel]](../images/a/au~pjms2.gif) image by Neale Rosanoski, 
10 March 2010
 image by Neale Rosanoski, 
10 March 2010
1896 saw a name change to the Port Jackson Co-operative Steamship Co. Ltd. with the flag amended by placing a red "C" on the white cross.
![[Port Jackson & Manly Steamship Co. Ltd. houseflag and funnel]](../images/a/au~pjmsc.gif) image by Miles Li, 7 February 2015
 
image by Miles Li, 7 February 2015
![[Port Jackson & Manly Steamship Co. Ltd. houseflag and funnel]](../images/a/au~pjms1.gif) image by Neale Rosanoski, 
10 March 2010
 image by Neale Rosanoski, 
10 March 2010
It was reincorporated again in 1907 as The Port Jackson & Manly
Steamship Co. Ltd., being the spelling of "Steamship" in government records 
but as "Steam Ship" in others including Lloyds who have always used two 
words. This had lead to a further change in the lettering with a second "S" 
added to the 3rd quarter and the "C" replaced by an "M" but by 1923 it was 
decided that "Steamship" was a single word and the extra "S" was deleted. Somewhat hair-splitting on this point I suggest as 
some other early companies lived quite happily with it being two words but 
possibly what was intended is not what ended up in the official records 
(sources Sydney Ferry Fleets by A.M. Prescott and The Log 5/1986 and 5/1989).
 Neale Rosanoski, 10 March 2010
 Port Jackson and Manly Steamship Company (incorporated on 23 January 1877; 
taken over by Sydney Ferries on 1 December 
1974).
Miles Li, 7 February 2015
![[Project Asia Services B.V. houseflag and funnel]](../images/a/au~pas.gif) image by Neale Rosanoski, 
10 March 2010
 image by Neale Rosanoski, 
10 March 2010
Project Asia Services B.V. was another Schoeller Holdings Netherlands based 
company that operated out of Australia from Port Pirie. The website flag showing 
a blue field with an orange border chief and base the orange letters "PAS". From 
the beginning of 2006 this company merged with Austral Asia Line B.V. and 
continued to trade out of Brisbane as Austral Asia Line.
 Neale Rosanoski, 10 March 2010
![[Charles Pullen houseflag and funnel]](../images/a/au~pull.gif) image by Neale Rosanoski, 
10 March 2010
 image by Neale Rosanoski, 
10 March 2010
Charles Pullen. Operated ferries on the Clarence River from the 1880s for 60 
years with a plain red tapered flag with a square point, from The Log 5/1992.
 Neale Rosanoski, 10 March 2010