'Hawkesbury Packet', 1817

The ‘Hawkesbury Packet’ was a 21-ton wooden sloop owned by Solomon Wiseman (after whom Wisemans Ferry, north-west of Sydney, is named).

It was wrecked on reef somewhere near Kiama (a newspaper report indicates at 'Gummoramorrah') in August 1817 whilst on a voyage from Sydney to the Shoalhaven to pick up a load of cedar. Few other details are now known.

However, previously, in 1816, the ‘Hawkesbury Packet’ had been blown into Port Stephens, north of Newcastle, when sailing from Sydney to Newcastle. With their supplies nearly exhausted, the two crew decided to walk to Newcastle. They enlisted the help of an Aboriginal guide who took them to a clan who stole all their clothes! One man died shortly after from exposure, hunger and exhaustion. The other managed to make it to Newcastle, crawling the last three miles.

The ship was eventually retrieved - but by-then it had been blown onto a beach – was refloated, and it returned to Sydney mid-August 1816.