Built as a cargo-passenger vessel under yard No 435 by A. Stephen & Sons Ltd., Glasgow for the Australasian United Steam Nav. Co., Sydney, Australia.
She was special built for the transport of tropical fruits special bananas from the Fiji Islands after the company closed a contract with the Fijian Government to carry all fruit from the islands.
15 February 1910 launched under the name LEVUKA, named after one of the Fiji Islands.
Tonnage 6.219 gross, 3.055 net, dim. 400.4 x 55.0ft.
Powered by two quadruple expansion steam engines ?hp., twin screws, speed 15 knots.
Passenger accommodation for 250 first class and 200 second class.
After delivery she sailed on 16 April 1910 from the River Clyde bound for Brisbane, where she arrived on 4 June.
28 March 1910 a cyclone had passed Fiji, and the banana crop was completely destroyed.
The LEVUKA was after arrival put in the coastal service from Brisbane to Sydney and Melbourne to Queensland and Cooktown, it was not profitable to use her in the service to Fiji without any return cargo.
April 1911 at least she came in the service for which she was built, her first voyage was not a success, about a quarter of the banana cargo was lost due to a fault in the cork isolation in her hold. After repair again in the service till 1921, making about every three weeks a voyage. Every voyage she carried about 45.000 stems of bananas.
The Fiji service was profitable till the Australian Government banned the import of bananas in an effort to protect the Queensland banana industries.
June 1921 the LEVUKA made her last voyage to Fiji.
The LEVUKA was placed in the Trunk Line from Sydney along the eastcoast of Australia.
28 May 1922 she hit a rock or wreck, and was damaged, during the repair period on the yard her isolation in the midships holds was removed and, new passenger accommodation fitted in for 78 additional passengers.
08 May 1923 she was put again in the Trunk Line service after about one year out of service.
December 1924 a rail connection was opened to Cairns and most passenger chose for this connection instead by ship, also the cargo supply was reduced.
September 1925 she was laid up at Sydney, and put on the sale list.
During the winter of 1926 when till so far not a buyer was found she was again used on the eastern coastal service to Cairns.
12 June 1926 she made her last sailing in this service from Sydney, and her last sailing from Cairns was on 23 June.
01 July again laid up at Sydney.
A buyer was found that same year and she was sold to Lloyd Brasileiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, renamed PEDRO II.
27 July 1926 delivered to new owners and on 05 August she sailed for the last time from Sydney under Brazilian flag, first to New Castle, N.S.W. where she stayed till 18 August then she sailed via Wellington, New Zealand to Rio de Janeiro where she arrived on 02 October 1926.
Thereafter used in the coastal trade on the Brazilian coast.
1927 Grounded but was refloated.
1935 Renamed in DOM PEDRO II.
She was broken up during the third quarter of 1963 in Rio de Janeiro.
On Fiji 1980 sg 597
Source: Register of Merchant ships completed in 1910. Passenger Ships of Australia & New Zealand by Peter Plowman. Australian Coastal Shipping by Barry Pemberton.