Australia Philately: N.S.W. Stamp Promotion Council – ASPC 151 (Card 1 HMS Sirius)

Burthen: 511 and 89/94ths tons
Length of lower deck: 110 feet 5 inches
Breadth: 32 feet 9 inches
Depth in hold: 12 feet 9 inches

Originally built for the East India Trade was burnt to the waterline on her first loading. Rebuilt in 1781 as a storeship for the West Indies Trade. In 1786 was commissioned and given the name of “Sirius” from previous name of “Berwick”.

Captain Arthur Phillip appointed Governor of new colony of New South Wales and along with the brig “Supply”, and nine other ships took provisions, stores, equipment, some cattle and 1500 people of whom approximately 759 were convicts.

Fleet left Spithead near Portsmouth on 13th May 1787, and sailed by way of Cape of Good Hope reaching Botany Bay on 18th January, 1788. 250 days were taken on the voyage of which 68 were spent in ports on route.

As Botany Bay proved unsuitable, Phillip re-assembled the fleet in Port Jackson where he raised the “colours” on the evening of the 26th January 1788.

Captain John Hunter was the captain of the Sirius and she stayed in Port Jackson until October 1788 when she was despatched to Cape Town to pick up grain supplies. She sailed to Cape Town via Cape Horn and returned via Southern Tasmania, thus circumventing the Southern Hemisphere. In 1790 she sailed to Norfolk Island where she was lost after striking a reef but all passengers and crew were saved.