A little
later, Bowen's settlement was moved, by Governor King's orders, down the
river to Sullivan's Cove and the two establishments really became one,
Colonel Collins retaining for it the name of Hobart, and Bowen with his
officials returned to Sydney.*
(* Sydney Gazette, August 26th, 1804. On Friday arrived the Ocean Captain
Mertho, from the Derwent with Lieutenant Bowen, Commandant of the
settlement at Risdon Cove, which has become part of Lieutenant Governor
Collins' settlement, being only six miles from Sullivan's Cove. In the
same ship came Lieutenant Moore with a detachment of the New South Wales
Corps on duty at Risdon, Mr. Jacob Mountgarrett, surgeon, Mr. Brown,
naturalist, and several persons who composed the settlement. The Ocean
arrived at Sullivan's Cove from her second voyage to Port Phillip on June
25th after a tempestuous voyage of 32 days in which most of the stock for
the colony was lost.
Lieutenant Bowen was on his way from Sydney to the Derwent at the time of
Collins' arrival in Tasmania. He seems only to have voyaged as far as
Port Dalrymple in the Integrity for he returned to the Derwent in the
Pilgrim (Sydney Gazette, April 22nd, 1804). Eventually he came, as stated
above, to Sydney in the Ocean. (See Historical Records of New South Wales
volume 5 pages 451 and 676.)
The Lady Nelson reached Sydney on the 14th of March after a passage of
eight days, and no sooner had she anchored in the harbour than Governor
King instructed her commander to refit and prepare to embark yet another
colony of settlers. These he proposed to send to Newcastle.* (* Or
Kingstown, as it was then called, in honour of Governor King; shortly
afterwards he renamed it Newcastle.) Hitherto only some colliers and a
guard had been stationed there, in order to ensure a supply of coals for
Sydney and for the Government ships, but now the Governor directed that
the spot should be raised to the dignity of a settlement. The colonial
cutter Resource, and the James sloop, belonging to Mr. Raby, were ordered
to sail with the Lady Nelson. The three vessels got under weigh to sail
to Newcastle on Tuesday, March 27th, having on board all the persons
appointed by the Governor, to proceed there. Embarked in the Lady Nelson
were: -
Lieutenant Menzies, Commandant.
Mr. Mileham, Surgeon.
Mr. F. Bauer, natural history painter.
Mr. John Tucker, storekeeper.
One overseer, two carpenters, three sawyers, a gardener, a salt bailer
and sixteen prisoners.
In the Resource were one sergeant and four privates of the New South
Wales Corps: -
Mr. Knight, superintendent.
Twelve convicts.
In the James: -
Mr. George Caley and three miners with implements, and stores and
provisions for six months.
