The Colonial sloop ''Norfolk'' was built on

Norfolk Island Norfolk Island ( , ; ) is an States and territories of Australia, external territory of Australia located in the Pacific Ocean between New Zealand and New Caledonia, directly east of Australia's Evans Head, New South Wales, Evans Head and a ...

in 1798. It was wrecked in 1800. David Collins recorded in his ''Account of the English Colony in New South Wales: ''"The necessity of a vessel to keep up a more frequent intercourse with Norfolk Island, ...having been much felt by the want of various stores ...occasioned Captain Townson, the Commanding officer, to construct a small decked boat, sloop rigged, in which he sent His letters to this port..."'' Cumpston describes ''Norfolk'' as, “A decked longboat built at Norfolk I

land Land, also known as dry land, ground, or earth, is the solid terrestrial surface of Earth not submerged by the ocean or another body of water. It makes up 29.2% of Earth's surface and includes all continents and islands. Earth's land sur ...

” Governor Hunter put the ''Norfolk'' under the command of

Matthew Flinders Captain (Royal Navy), Captain Matthew Flinders (16 March 1774 – 19 July 1814) was a British Royal Navy officer, navigator and cartographer who led the first littoral zone, inshore circumnavigate, circumnavigation of mainland Australia, then ...

, the Sailing Master Peter Hibbs (seaman formerly on the "Sirius"). The vessel was to be used as a survey vessel and in that capacity was used by Flinders and

Bass Bass or Basses may refer to: Fish * Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species Wood * Bass or basswood, the wood of the tilia americana tree Music * Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in th ...

in 1798-99 to circumnavigate Van Diemens Land (

Tasmania Tasmania (; palawa kani: ''Lutruwita'') is an island States and territories of Australia, state of Australia. It is located to the south of the Mainland Australia, Australian mainland, and is separated from it by the Bass Strait. The sta ...

) – proving the existence of

Bass Strait Bass Strait () is a strait separating the island state of Tasmania from the Mainland Australia, Australian mainland (more specifically the coast of Victoria (Australia), Victoria, with the exception of the land border across Boundary Islet). The ...

. Flinders also took ''Norfolk'' north to chart Cook's ''Morton's Bay'' (now

Moreton Bay Moreton Bay is a bay located on the eastern coast of Australia from central Brisbane, Queensland. It is one of Queensland's most important coastal resources. The waters of Moreton Bay are a popular destination for recreational anglers and are ...

) and Hervey's Bay (

Hervey Bay Hervey Bay () is a city on the coast of the Fraser Coast Region of Queensland, Australia. The city is situated approximately or 3½ hours' highway drive north of the state capital, Brisbane. It is located on the bay of the same name open to ...

). It has been speculated that it was unlikely that they used Norfolk Pine Norfolk Island Pine as the timber was said to be useless in water, and that it was most likely constructed of timbers from existing boats on the island, perhaps also using surviving timbers from HMS ''Sirius'', but Collins said: “The vessel that has the credit of having first circumnavigated Van Diemen’s land was built at Norfolk Island, on the fir of that country, which was found to answer extremely well”. ''Norfolk'' was then used to supply produce from the Windsor Area to Port Jackson, until 1800 when convicts seized her at the mouth of the Hawkesbury River. Intending to sail her to Maluku, the convicts ran her aground at what was later called "Pirate Point" on the northern side of the mouth to the Hunter River. Today, the point is in the suburb of .

Replica

In 1998-99 Bern Cuthbertson OAM from Sandy Bay,

, re-enacted all of ''Norfolk''s journeys in a replica vessel, constructed of Tasmania Huon and Celery Top pines. The replica ''Norfolk'' is now on display at The Bass and Flinders Centre in George Town on Tasmania's

Tamar River The Tamar River, officially kanamaluka / River Tamar, is a estuary located in northern Tasmania, Australia. Despite being named a river, the waterway is a brackish and tidal estuary over its entire length. Etymology The Tamar River was named ...

. A limited amount of

sterling silver Sterling silver is an alloy composed mass fraction (chemistry), by weight of 92.5% silver and 7.5% other metals, usually copper. The sterling silver silver standards, standard has a minimum millesimal fineness of 925. ''Fineness, Fine silver'' ...

and 18-carat

gold Gold is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol Au (from Latin ) and atomic number 79. In its pure form, it is a brightness, bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile metal. Chemically, gold is a transition metal ...

medallions were hand-made to commemorate the voyages of Bern Cuthbertson's ''Norfolk''. These medallions were mainly given to those that sailed with Bern. In 2000 the Queensland Place Names Board named Norfolk Point () which was on reclaimed land in the Manly boat harbour in

in honour of Matthew Flinders and the replica's visit. A plaque on the point commemorates the naming.

Affiliations

*TS Norfolk, Australian Navy Cadets

References

{{Navbox shipwrecks of New South Wales 1798 ships Ships built in Norfolk Island Sloops of Australia History of Australia (1788–1850) Maritime incidents in 1800 Napoleonic-era ships Shipwrecks of the Hunter Region 1788–1850 ships of Australia Maritime exploration of Australia History of Newcastle, New South Wales