H.M.S. Lady Nelson

HM Armed Sloop, rigged as a Brig: 60 tons. Built at Deptford, London in 1799 and purchased in 1800. Dimensions: 52 feet 6 inches feet long, 17 feet 6 inches beam, 6 guns (carronade) and a crew of 15. Fitted with three sliding keels or centreboards - the invention of Captain John Schanck (The draught when the keels were raised was less than 6 feet).

First ship from England to sail through Bass Strait. Arrived in Sydney on 17 December 1800. Sailed from Port Jackson for the Hunter River on 10 June 1801, accompanied by the schooner Francis. Surveyed the Hunter estuary and a flag was raised on the island (now Nobby's Head) to indicate the entrance to the river.

Afterwards the Lady Nelson was used for survey work; accompanying HMS Investigator in 1802, under the command of Matthew Flinders, during coastal explorations along the east coast of Australia. She was sent back to Port Jackson in October 1802, having lost anchors and keels, as well as running aground twice. She played a prominent role in the relocation of the Norfolk Islanders to Hobart Town in 1807 and 1808, and to Port Dalrymple in 1813. Also used for transporting grain from the Hawkesbury and coal from Newcastle to Sydney.

Descriptions of the Lady Nelson appear prominently in Lachlan Macquarie's journal during his tour of inspection to Van Diemen's Land in 1811. In particular he notes her seaworthiness in heavy weather, praising her as 'the best and safest Sea-Boat I ever sailed in'.

In 1819 she was again used in survey work along the New South Wales coast and in April1820, during the establishment of the new settlement at Port Macquarie, she ran aground on the bar near the harbour entrance. When Lachlan Macquarie visited the settlement in November 1821 he commented on the salvage attempts and repairs that were being undertaken to refloat the vessel and return her to government service again. By 1824 she was in commission again and was being used to supply livestock to the new settlement being established on Melville Island (Port Dundas) in northern Australia.

The Lady Nelson was seized by pirates off Timor early in 1825 while attempting to obtain supplies for the recently established settlement on Melville Island. The crew were killed and the vessel scuttled at Babar Island, north-east of Timor.