SS Waratah was a passenger and cargo steamship built in 1908 for the Blue Anchor Line to operate between Europe and Australia. In July 1909, on only her second voyage, the ship, en route along the coast of the Colony of Natal (part of modern-day South Africa) from Durban to Cape Town, disappeared with 211 passengers and crew aboard. No trace of the ship has ever been found and her fate remains unknown. Design and construction In September 1907 W. Lund & Sons placed an order with Barclay Curle of Glasgow for a new cargo and passenger vessel to be delivered within 12 months that was specially designed for their Blue Anchor Line trade between the United Kingdom and Australia. The owners wanted the ship to be an improved version of their existing steamer , and therefore most specifications were based upon those of Geelong. The vessel was laid down at Barclay Curle's Clydeholm Yard in Whiteinch and launched on 12 September 1908 (yard number 472), with Mrs J. W. Taverner, wife of the Agent-General of Victoria, being the sponsor. The ship was of the spar-deck type and had three complete decks—lower, main and spar. The first-class accommodations were built on the promenade, bridge and boat decks and could house 128 passengers. In addition, a nursery was provided on the ship for first-class passengers' convenience. The vessel also had third-class passenger accommodations constructed on the poop deck that could house upward of 300 people but were certified for only 160. Waratah was constructed for both speed and luxury and had eight state rooms and a salon whose panels depicted its namesake flower, as well as a luxurious music lounge complete with a minstrel's gallery. With an intent of being also an emigrant ship, her cargo holds would be converted into large dormitories capable of holding almost 700 steerage passengers on the outward journeys, while on the return the steamer would be laden with general cargo, mainly frozen meat, dairy products, and wool and metal ore from Australia. In order to be able to carry frozen produce, her entire front end was fitted with refrigerating machinery and cold chambers. She also had Kirkcaldy's distilling apparatus, capable of producing of fresh water a day, installed on board. At the time of construction, Waratah was not equipped with a radio, which was not unusual at the time. The sea trials were held on