page_title: SS Koombana
section_title: Passenger facilities
hierarchical_section_title: SS Koombana / Architecture and equipment / Passenger facilities
caption_attribution_description: English: The first class dining saloon of the SS Koombana.
context_page_description: SS Koombana was a late Edwardian-era passenger, cargo and mail carrying steamship. From March 1909 to March 1912, she operated coastal liner services between Fremantle, Western Australia and various ports in the northwest of that state. She is best known for disappearing at an unknown location north of Port Hedland, Western Australia, during a tropical cyclone on 20 March 1912, killing 74 passengers and 76 crew; in total, 150 people died.
  Other than a small quantity of wreckage, no trace was ever found of the ship, which was presumed sunk along with several other vessels during the same storm. At least a further 15 people died in other ships and near the cyclone. As accurate passenger lists were not kept at the time, the exact number of deaths is not known; however, all on board are presumed to have perished. The loss was almost certainly Australia's worst weather-related maritime disaster in the twentieth century.
  In her short career, Koombana also played a significant role in the public life of Western Australia.
context_section_description: Koombana had a number of decks with passenger facilities.  Immediately above the lower hold was the orlop deck, and above that, the main deck.  The latter was topped by the spar deck, which had most of the passenger cabins and dining saloons. Over the spar deck was a promenade deck, which was crowned by the bridge and boat deck, with the navigating bridge on top.
  The drawing and smoke rooms were both located on the promenade deck.  Each was lavishly decorated and handsomely appointed, with particular attention being paid to the colours of the upholstery.  In the drawing room, there were portable lounges and Waring & Co furnishings, all upholstered in purple plush.  The drawing room was also equipped with satinwood panelled walls, an elaborate bookcase with up-to-date library, and other furniture, including a Broadway piano and a pair of Chippendale-style writing desks.  Its ceilings were white painted canvas with a gilt-edged floral design; its main entrance and the stairway leading to the promenade deck were both panelled in mahogany.  The smoke room was upholstered in scarlet.
  Koombana’s dining room in the first saloon was roomy, well ventilated, and had green-upholstered seating for 75 people.  Its walls were panelled in oak.  The galley and pantries were provided with up-to-date appliances, including a patent electric egg boiler in the kitchen, and an electrically driven dough mixer in the bakehouse.
  Accommodation was provided for 300 first and second saloon passengers, in a style otherwise only to be found in much larger vessels such as the RMS Mauretania, and RMS Lusitania.  The cabins were well ventilated and appointed, and most contained only two berths.  All had electric fans.  The first class cabins were constructed according to the island system, with each division having a separate entrance from the deck, and easy access to and from the saloon.  Accommodation for second class passengers was particularly good.
caption: Koombana ’s first class dining room, c. March 1909.
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