SS Zealandia ( 1910 ) SS " Zealandia , nicknamed Z " ( or " Zed " ) was a historically significant Australian cargo and passenger ship . It served as a troopship in both World War I and World War II . " Zealandia " transported the ill - fated Australian 8th Division . Its crew were the last Allied personnel to see HMAS " Sydney " , which was lost with all hands in 1941 . " Zealandia " was sunk in the air raids on Darwin of 19 February 1942 . A 6 , 683 ton multi - decked single - funnelled vessel , " Zealandia " was built at Clydebank , Scotland and entered service in 1910 . It was owned by the Melbourne - based Huddart Parker line . During 1910 - 13 , it was chartered by the Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand , mainly for use on the trans - Tasman route , but also undertaking voyages to ports as distant as Fremantle and Vancouver . Huddart Parker then used " Zealandia " on the Melbourne - Fremantle route . World War I . In May 1918 , the " Zealandia " was requisitioned as an Allied troopship and it was among the ships used to transport the American Expeditionary Force from the east coast of the U . S . to France . Following the Armistice , it was used a troopship on the Liverpool - Sydney route . In 1919 , it resumed its commercial role with Huddart Parker . World War II . On 29 June 1940 , " Zealandia " embarked part of the 8th Division , the 2 / 21st Battalion , later known as Gull Force , at Sydney and transported it and other units to Darwin . " Zealandia " transported another part of the 8th Division , Lark Force ( otherwise known as the 2 / 22nd Battalion ) , to Rabaul , leaving Sydney on 19 April 1941 . Following that voyage , " Zealandia " went to Noumea , New Caledonia and transported Free French troops to Sydney . In mid - 1941 , Zealandia transported the main body of the 8th Division , their stores and equipment to Singapore ( where the main body of the 8th was surrendered to Japanese forces in February 1942 ) . Following several other war - related voyages , in November 1941 , " Zealandia " visited several Australian ports , en route to Singapore . A labour dispute involving some crew members caused it and HMAS " Sydney " to be delayed in leaving Fremantle , from where " Zealandia " was escorted to Sunda Strait by " Sydney " . As it happened , the crew of " Zealandia " were the last Allied personnel known to have seen the " Sydney " , which was sunk and lost with all hands in an action on 19 November , by the German raider " Kormoran " . " Zealandia " also took another 8th Division detachment , Sparrow Force , to Timor departing Darwin with 957 troops the morning of 10 December 1941 escorted by HMAS " Westralia " with another 445 troops that reached Koepang on 12 December . On 20 December the ship departed Darwin with 207 women and 357 children as the first of several ships to evacuate civilians from Darwin to southern Australia . In Sydney , the ship was fitted with material to protect its oil tanks in the event of attack . On 23 January , " Zealandia " left Sydney , transporting an anti - tank company and its equipment to Darwin , where it arrived on 6 February . Sinking . During the air raids of 19 February , a number of bombs fell close to " Zealandia " , before one fell through a hatch and exploded in a hold , causing a serious fire . Japanese planes also attacked " Zealandia " with their cannons and machine guns . Ammunition in one hold started to explode and the ship ' s fire pumps were disabled by another bomb . The order was given to abandon ship . " Zealandia " went to the bottom of the harbour , with only its masts clear of the water . Two crew members died from wounds sustained in the attack . The remaining 142 crew members survived . The ship was salvaged in 1960 . What remains of " Zealandia " lies in Darwin Harbour at position at a depth of , and is a dive site