This ship model is of a Colonial Port Jackson schooner, originally designed by the British Admiralty in 1803 as a response to the request of New South Wales' Governor Arthur Phillip. The drafts for the original plans are in Greenwich, UK, in the National Maritime Museum. The model is a Ledition edition, number 2 of 5, modelled by Bill Leonard. The model is rigged and decked in the manner of David McGregor. The flag on model of Port Jackson schooner is that of the British White Ensign which was used as the flag design of the Royal Australian Navy from 1911 - 1967. In 1785 the First Fleet arrived in the new British colony of Port Jackson (now Sydney Harbour) in New South Wales and Arthur Phillip was appointed as the first Governor. The following year Governor Phillip asked the English Royal Navy to provide drafts and materials for two ships for use in the Port Jackson colony for exploring and surveying rivers. The vessels needed a shallow draught and to be made from local cedar timber. He asked for the frames of the schooners to be provided along with shipwrights to assemble them. Many years later, in 1803, Governor Phillip’s request was fulfilled but he had already resigned from his post. The drafts titled ‘Schooner for Port Jackson’ were despatched by the Royal Navy from England to Australia. The original draft is still in the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, UK. Meanwhile, the NSW Government had already built various other ships before 1803. In 1797 His Majesty’s Dockyard was opened at Port Jackson for building larger vessels. The Royal Navy’s 1803 design of a ‘Schooner for Port Jackson’ has been recognised on the obverse of Australia’s twenty dollar banknote since 1994. A sketch of the schooner is beside the portrait of Mrs Mary Reibey, who arrived as a convict and rose to become a respected and successful owner of a cargo shipping business. Her fleet included the Mercury, a schooner similar to the 1803 design for the Port Jackson schooner. Although the 1803 plans for a ‘Schooner for Port Jackson’ are commonly believed to be used for the first ship built in Australia, no records have been found of any ships being built according to these plans. However, it can be claimed that the plans were the ‘first Royal Navy plans made for a ship for use at Port Jackson, and to be built at Port Jackson, in Australia’. William (Bill) Leonard passed away on March 1st 1995.This ship model is significant for its representation of an early Australian colonial schooner. The 1803 Royal Navy’s plans for the colonial ‘Schooner for Port Jackson, were for the first ship specifically designed by the Royal Navy to be built and used in Port Jackson, for use in exploration and surveying of Australian ports and rivers. The plans are associated with Australia’s colonial settlement in the late 1700s. This ship model is significant for its association with the emblems of Australia’s history on the twenty dollar banknote. The colonial Port Jackson schooner is considered significant to Australian history, and represented on the 1994 twenty dollar banknote and its new version being rolled out in October 2019.Ship model of a colonial Port Jackson Schooner. Two-masted sailing ship displaying the flag named The British White Ensign. Mode of light coloured stained timberl is mounted on brass legs inside a glass case with timber frame and base. Metal engraved plaque states that the model is as designed by The Admiralty in 1803. Model is a number 2 of 5 in a limited edition, made by Bill Leonard.Engraved on metal plaque "PORT JACKSON SCHOONER / As Designed By The Admiralty. 1803"flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, ship model port jackson schooner, sailing ship, limited edition model, model maker bill leonard, david mcgregor design, maritime trade, maritime vessel, colonial port jackson schooner, pacific island trade in early 1800s, sydney cove, governor arthur phillip, governor philip gidley king, a schooner for port jackson, national maritime museum greenwich, australian $20 banknote

This model of the ship H.M.S. Lady Nelson was researched and built as the vessel Lady Nelson by David Lumsden, a professional ship model builder. His Majesty's Armed Survey Vessel Lady Nelson was commissioned in 1799 to survey the coast of Australia. This vessel was purpose-built before the British Admiralty requested plans for a Schooner for Port Jackson. At the time large parts of the Australian coast were unmapped and Britain had claimed only part of the continent. The British Government were concerned that, in the event of settlers of another European power becoming established in Australia, any future conflict in Europe would lead to a widening of the conflict into the southern hemisphere to the detriment of the trade that Britain sought to develop. Against this background, Lady Nelson was chosen to survey and establish sovereignty over strategic parts of the continent. Lady Nelson left Portsmouth on 18 March 1800 and arrived at Sydney on 16th December 1800 after having been the first vessel to reach the east coast of Australia via the Bass Strait. Before that date, all vessels had sailed around the southern tip of Tasmania to reach their destination. Lady Nelson's survey work commenced shortly after she arrived in Sydney, initially in the Bass Strait area. She was involved in the discovery of Port Phillip, on the coast of Victoria, in establishing settlements on the River Derwent and at Port Dalrymple in Tasmania. She also successfully chartered much of the Victorian coastline and was heavily involved with the exploration of the Queensland coast with Matthew Flinders; investigated the Hunter River; made numerous visits to New Zealand and Norfolk Island and was involved in the founding of numerous settlements. In comparison to most colonial vessels, the Lady Nelson was technically unique she was fitted with sliding keels, or centreboards, and water-tight trunks reaching to the deck. Captain Schank invented these sliding keels that, when raised, reduced her draught to less than six feet. Her life as an exploration vessel ended while accompanying HMS 'Tamar' to Melville Island in 1825, the 'Lady Nelson' was captured and later abandoned by pirates off the island of Babar (Indonesia). This brought the vessel's 25 years of coastal exploration and navigation to a close.The Lady Nelson made was the first British ship to survey of the southern or south-western coast of Australia and traverse the Bass Strait. The vessel holds a special place in Australia's history of exploration as the first to explore and establish settlements in the then-new British colony of Van Diemans Land. The model gives an insight into what life must have been like onboard sailing vessels of the time and Australia's early history of establishment and exploration. This model acts as an important legacy of the full-scale ship which no longer survives. Ship model of the 60 ton British brig HMS Lady Nelson. Timber model of a two-masted brig with rigging but no sails, displaying the British Union Jack flag. The ship is in a glass exhibition display case on metal stand. HMS Lady Nelsonflagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, by captain john schanck, sliding keels or centreboards, lady nelson, british brig hms lady nelson, david lumsden ship model builder, lieutennant james grant, bass strait discovery, surveying king island and port phillip bay, philip gidley king