Amity (brig) facts for kids
Amity replica at Albany, Western Australia
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Quick facts for kids History |
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| Name | Amity |
| Builder | St John's, New Brunswick |
| Launched | 1816 |
| Fate | Wrecked near Vansittart Island on 18 June 1845 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Brig |
| Tonnage | 148 tons burthen |
| Length | 75 feet 6 inches |
| Beam | 21 feet 5 inches |
The Amity was a sailing ship called a brig. It weighed 148 tons. This ship was very important for exploring and settling Australia in the early 1800s.
It was built in New Brunswick in 1816. For several years, it worked as a trading ship between America and Britain. In 1824, it arrived in Australia.
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Voyages of the Amity
Journey to Van Diemen's Land
The Amity was built in 1816 in Saint John, New Brunswick. In 1823, a Scottish family, the Ralstons, bought it. They wanted to use it to move to Van Diemen's Land. This place is now known as Tasmania.
The ship left Stranraer, Scotland, on November 15, 1823. It sailed across the Atlantic Ocean. It stopped in Dublin and Rio de Janeiro. The Amity arrived in Hobart on April 15, 1824. The journey took exactly five months.
There were 21 passengers on board. This included Robert Ralston, his wife, and eight children. The ship also carried goods and farm animals. These included two bulls and four cows from Scotland.
Later, the Ralston family sold the ship. The Government of New South Wales bought it in Sydney. They used the Amity for exploring and carrying supplies.
First Settlers to Queensland
The Amity carried the first European settlers to Queensland. This happened after John Oxley suggested Redcliffe for a new settlement in 1823.
Lieutenant Henry Miller led the group. About 70 people were on the ship. They included soldiers, convicts, explorers, and their families. They arrived at Moreton Bay on September 14, 1824.
The town of Amity and the area of Amity Point are named after the ship. These places are on North Stradbroke Island near Brisbane. There is even a Brig Street in Amity Point. Many other streets and parks in Queensland are also named Amity.
In September 1991, a memorial was put up in Redcliffe. It has four bronze plaques. One of these plaques shows the Amity ship.
Settling Western Australia
In 1826, the Amity sailed to Western Australia. This was ordered by Governor Ralph Darling. Major Edmund Lockyer was in charge of the ship.
He started the first European settlement in Western Australia. This was a military base at King George Sound. Today, this place is called Albany. The settlement was first named Frederick Town.
Major Lockyer and his group got off the ship on Boxing Day, 1826. The group included two officers, 18 soldiers, 23 convicts, and a surgeon. They also brought farm animals and supplies. These were meant to last for six months.
Arrival at Swan River Colony
On September 22, 1829, the Amity arrived at Fremantle. It had sailed from Singapore. There were 15 people on board, including passengers and crew.
The Amity was the eighth ship to arrive at the new Swan River Colony.
Wrecked at Sea
By 1844, the Amity was used to carry cattle. It sailed from Port Albert in Victoria to Hobart in Tasmania.
On June 18, 1845, the Amity was wrecked. It hit an unknown sandbar. This sandbar is now called Vansittart Shoals. It is near Vansittart Island, north of Van Diemen's Land (now Tasmania).
Captain William Marr was sailing the Amity from Hobart. He had a crew of nine and one passenger. They faced a strong storm. The ship ran aground on the sandbar. As the ship broke apart, everyone got off safely. However, their small boats were damaged.
The shipwrecked people found some seal hunters. The hunters lent them a boat. Everyone except Captain Marr headed for Cape Portland, Tasmania. Captain Marr was later rescued by another ship called the Letitia.
The Amity Replica
In 1972, people in Albany started talking about building a copy of the Amity. They wanted it ready for the town's 150th birthday party in 1976.
After getting money and doing research, building started in 1975. Stan Austin was the project supervisor. Pieter van de Brugge was the main ship builder.
The full-sized replica is on land. It is part of the Museum of the Great Southern. This museum is in Albany. The replica is placed to look like it is floating in the harbor. You can take audio tours of the replica every day.
Images for kids
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Amity replica at Albany, Western Australia
