Discovery and Context
Maritime archaeologists are restoring the oldest colonial-era boat ever found in Australia. The vessel was discovered in 2018 during construction of the Barangaroo metro station in Sydney. It is expected to be displayed at the Australian National Maritime Museum by mid-2027.
Boat Description and Use
The boat is estimated to have been used by British settlers between 1790 and 1830 for trade across Sydney Harbour. Archaeologists believe it also traveled to the Shoalhaven and Newcastle regions. The timber has been traced to eucalypt species from the Hawkesbury River area.
The vessel was discovered in 2018 during construction of the Barangaroo metro station in Sydney.
Restoration Process
Maritime archaeologist Benjamin Wharton described the vessel as an early example of adapting British boat-building techniques to Australian timbers. The boat was constructed from Australian hardwoods coated in pitch, which helped preserve it in the ground. Excavation took two months, and all pieces were kept moist for over a year while a preservation facility was built.
Accompanying Artefacts
Hundreds of items were well-preserved alongside the boat in layers of silt, including glass bottle fragments, decorated ceramics, leather shoes, smoking pipes, toothbrushes, and animal bones with evidence of human and rat gnawing. Maritime archaeologist James Hunter stated that these artefacts date to the mid to late 1830s, indicating when the boat was abandoned. He noted that at that time, convicts and free settlers were arriving, and the colony was a distant outpost.
Official Statements
Sydney Metro head of operations Hugh Lawson said the discovery was unexpected. NSW Transport Minister John Graham called it "an incredible story of new transport uncovering one of the oldest forms of transport in the colony."
Reconstruction
Benjamin Wharton is investigating methods to reconstruct the boat, including cradle structures and custom fasteners.