It was in the 1950s that this journey half way across the world really caught the imagination of the British public. This was as a result of an assisted passage scheme introduced by the Australian government, designed to encourage immigration from the UK and provide labour for their country’s post-war economy. The ‘ten pound Pom’ was born.
The ‘ten pound Pom’ For those citizens emigrating down under, a one way adult ticket from the UK to Australia cost just £10, £110 less than for tourists, while those under 18 years travelled free. The terms? Travellers had to stay for at least two years or pay their own way home, full fare. As this was one of our regular routes, P&O Cruises played a lead role in transporting these ‘ten pound Poms’ to and from
Australia, specifi cally building 15 passenger liners to meet the demand. In total, more than 1 million Britons were tempted to warmer climes through the scheme, which ended in the mid 1970s. It was one of the largest planned immigrations of the 20th century.
Paul MacBride was 14 when he arrived in Sydney on Australia Day in 1962. “We sailed on Arcadia from Tilbury Docks on 23 December 1961. I remember disappearing each day with the other kids and only coming back for meals. The atmosphere was great and the ports exciting. I particularly remember going through the Suez Canal and Aden in Yemen. It was so different from England. Our fi rst stop in Australia was Fremantle. From here, people were dropped off all around Australia, including Melbourne and Brisbane.”
Admittedly, for today’s paying passenger the fare has increased slightly, but the adventure is still as grand. Providing the perfect opportunity to combine an unforgettable cruise with an incredible Australasian holiday, these cruises are available on Arcadia, Aurora and Azura. For those considering spending a few days ashore prior to boarding or returning home, city stays are detailed on pages 94-97. Or if there’s a plan to spend longer ashore to explore or to meet up with friends and family who have decided to make Australia or New Zealand their home, help is available to iron out the arrangements.
January 1961: A P&O ship arrives in Sydney Harbour, accompanied by a welcoming fl eet. She has just completed her maiden voyage from Southampton.
WWW.POCRUISES.CO.UK 69
CRUISES TO & FROM AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140 |
Page 141 |
Page 142 |
Page 143 |
Page 144 |
Page 145 |
Page 146