These three-masted ships had been designed to supersede the British East Indiaman that carried goods from India to the United Kingdom.

When Parramatta undertook its three-month journeys from London to Sydney it would issue a fortnightly amusing magazine to the passengers on board.

The Parramatta Sun was issued on the outward journey to Sydney from London from 9 September 1879 to 8 December 1879 and a copy is available on-line.

Explorer and nurse Kate Marsden was on board visiting leper hospitals en route to her trip to Siberia.

[5] On 12 January 1898 Parramatta sailed from Galveston, Texas, laden with pitch-pine, bound for King's Lynn in Norfolk.