Between 1948 and 1954 the P&O and Orient Line companies added six new passenger liners to the popular England-Australian route, now shortened thanks to the Suez Canal.

In 1954 the Orient Line began running ships to Vancouver and San Francisco by way of New Zealand, Suva and Honolulu. This was an instant success. Exotic routes via Japan, Manila and Hong Kong soon followed.

For the average Australian, cashed up thanks to a booming economy, this was perhaps their first opportunity to tour the world in style. In the early 1960s P&O, now merged with Orient Line, launched the Canberra and Oriana luxury liners, each one capable of carrying more than 2000 passengers.

Memorabilia from this period is now keenly collected, especially by those who were lucky enough to do their first overseas travel on one of these vessels.

All kinds of shipping memorabilia is collectable these days but menus are an especially strong reminder of this period. They were lavishly printed and freely handed out to passengers as souvenirs. They do not as yet have a great monetary value but a thorough collection is bound to appreciate. Once commonly found in the back shelves of junk shops and market stalls, they are now hard to find.

Shipping menus rate a brief mention in Vivienne O'Neill's excellent book on collecting ephemera, Yesterday's Paper (Carter's, 2007). "Such menus are moderately priced collectables," she writes, "rarely topping $30 and are frequently collected as adjuncts to shipping collections. Railway and airline menus can also be found and, like shipping menus, find their way into specialist collections."

The most prominent of these is to be found at the William Angliss Institute in La Trobe Street, Melbourne. This is the specialist TAFE college for the hospitality industry, so its collection of about 3000 is primarily for research purposes. These menus, from planes, trains and ships, tell us a lot about out changing tastes in food, as well as our changing social habits.

We can assume that many passengers on the maiden voyage of the Oriana in 1961 would have experienced the delights of venison for the first time (especially "sauted with spiced Bartlett pears and redcurrant jelly".

Even chef Nivio Chebat's 1975 menu on board the Guglielmo Marconi, highlighted by medallions of goose-liver with Norcia truffles, would have been considered revolutionary cuisine for the time. What is obvious is that the shipping lines placed great importance on the contents of these menus, making them a highlight of the voyage.

There's also something to be learned from railway menus. Those travelling on the Central Australian Railway circa 1960 could have ordered a compote of fruit for breakfast, rolled oats or cornflakes. But, in those less diet-conscious times they could also have chosen a grilled steak and egg, lamb's fry, bacon and eggs or sausages and mashed potatoes (even, perhaps, all of the above).

Fried fillet of whiting was also on the breakfast menu but on this particular day has been crossed out with pencil.

Qantas menus are also sought after and there's evidence here that fresh lobster was available in first class during the late 1950s, served from the shell by a steward.

For collectors, the menus that may exceed Vivienne O'Neill's estimated limit of $30 are those produced for special occasions such as the maiden voyage of the Oriana. Those in which the chef is mentioned may also achieve greater value in the future. What is of great interest is the collection itself, revealing a variety of design and food styles from a variety of eras.

For those interested in this fascinating subject, you can view the collection of the William Angliss Institute. Phone the Learning Resource Centre on (03) 9606 2237 to make an appointment.

$10

This menu from a 1984 voyage aboard the SS Canberra gives passengers the choice of six menus, including the Captain's Dinner as prepared by chef F. P. Maguiness. The poached fillet of turbot Duglere is recommended.

$20

Chef Nivio Chebat was in charge of the Guglielmo Marconi's kitchen in 1975 and his stylish menu included medallions of goose-liver with Norcia truffles.

$30

Collectors especially prize historic menus, such as this one for the maiden voyage of P&O's Oriana liner in 1961. The chef's speciality on this occasion was venison steak saute with spiced Bartlett pears and redcurrant jelly.

My collection

"Found them in the rubbish - as you do," says Damian Kringas, a historian and publisher with a special interest in the forgotten stories of popular culture.

His treasured collection of 20 ship menus was being thrown out of a house during renovations. After saving them, he became fascinated by the clues they gave to a time long gone, including a space on the back page for passengers' autographs.

"They're a part of history that is declining," he says.

He suspects that the unknown original owner of the menus was associated with a ship's orchestra. There were also several concert programs also saved from the bin.

After running the vintage collectables shop Independence Jones in Petersham, Kringas has turned this venture into a publishing house he runs from home, so he can spend more time with his children.

His latest offering is Jones Classic Australian Car Guide (see www.independencejones.com).