She was built as the ocean liner Monarch of Bermuda, was a troop ship in the Second World War and was damaged by fire in 1947.

Vickers-Armstrongs built Monarch of Bermuda at its shipyard in Walker, Newcastle upon Tyne for Furness, Withy & Co Ltd. She was launched on 17 March 1931[1] and completed that November.

[3] The turbines drove alternators that powered electric motors to drive her four screws, giving her a speed of 19 knots (35 km/h).

[1] In the early hours of 8 September 1934 Ward Line's 11,520 GRT liner Morro Castle caught fire eight miles off the coast of New Jersey.

[1] After the war Palmers' shipyard in Hebburn started refitting Monarch of Bermuda for her return to civilian service, but on 24 May 1947 she was gutted by fire.

She was sold for scrap, but the Ministry of Transport bought her and contracted JI Thornycroft & Co to refit her[6] with economy accommodation for 1,600 passengers.

[1] In September 1958 New Australia was serving as a troop ship again when she suffered slight damage in a collision with a tanker in the Torres Strait.