The replica is built to exact scale of original although no plans were found when the project commenced in 1975.It was built using designs, techniques and materials similar to those used in the early 1800s.Dimensions were listed in the Certificates of Registry so the design is based on those measurements to the proportions of a snow brig.A brig was a two-masted vessel, and a snow had the addition of a small trysail, immediately behind the main mast.

Top Deck

Welcome to the Brig Amity

Welcome to the Brig Amity. This is a replica of the sailing ship, which, in 1826, brought the first Europeans to live in the western part of Australia and anchored near here on the shores of Princess Royal Harbour. As you walk through the Brig, look for the small, numbered signs. Immerse yourself in the Amity’s journey. Meet the person in charge of creating the new settlement, Major Edmund Lockyer, and hear from his second in charge, Lieut. Festing, about the rough sailing. Now, press 2 to listen to a local Noongar elder welcome you to his country.

Kaia Kaia Welcome to Menang country

Kaia Kaia. I am Ezzard Flowers, and I am proud to welcome you to this country, home to the Menang people. The Menang have lived here in Kinjarling for at least 10000 years. In the warmer seasons in Birak and Bunuru, we would spear and trap fish in the rivers and in the water in front of you. Other mobs would come here. There was a lot of good tucker and important ceremonies happened then too. When it was cold in Makuru and Djilba, most of our mob went away from the coast and hunted kangaroo, wallabies and possum. The mobs inland would let us hunt in their country in exchange for us allowing them to come here in the warmer seasons. We shared what we had. This is how it was at the time of the Amity coming here. Kaia, and enjoy your stay in Menang country.

What is a Brig? 

Why is this vessel called a brig? Look up at the masts and rigging. This tells you what kind of vessel the Amity is. Its two tall masts with horizontal yards to take square or rectangular sails make it a brig. Brigs were very common in the first part of the 1800s. They were the workhorses of the sea. Cargo was loaded on board with ropes and pulleys, combined with brute strength. Using ropes on the main mast and boom, cargo was heaved onto the vessel and lowered down into the hold through the main hatch. The anchor was hauled in using the black capstan on the deck in front of you. Bars slotted into the capstan to help the sailors with this huge job. Ropes and pulleys were then used on the davits on the bow to position the anchor on the outside of the brig.

Why did the Amity come here? 

Why did the Amity come to King George Sound? The reason is right in front of you. The beautiful waters of the Sound and this natural harbor were known to provide safety and refuge from the rough weather of the Southern Ocean. The British government was concerned that the French would settle the western part of the new colony. The government also wanted to investigate the suitability of King George Sound for a convict settlement. As a result, in November 1826, Major Edmund Lockyer received his orders to proceed from Sydney to King George Sound to form a settlement. Lockyer acted quickly and within five days the Amity was fully loaded and ready to sail. A military party, convicts, a small staff and the brig’s crew were on board.

The journey

The journey from Sydney to King George Sound took six weeks and two days. The Amity sailed south in very rough weather. Imagine being on board this overloaded ship in a crashing sea. Let’s hear Lieut. Festing’s report. 
When off South Cape, it blew a very heavy gale of wind with squalls. During one the main boom went, the sail was split and part of the bulwark was washed away. There was no room on board for replacements, so the Amity had to dock in Hobart for repairs.

The cook's job

The galley was located here in the deckhouse. Think of cooking for sixty-one men in this tiny galley. This was certainly no pleasure cruise and the cook used basic ingredients of salted meat, flour, crushed peas, sugar and raisins. During rough seas the food was served cold because of the risk of the cook’s fire tipping over and spreading. The water taken on board at the start of the journey proved to be undrinkable and was replaced in Hobart. At the same time, some kangaroos were shot and provided some welcome fresh meat.

Middle Deck

No rest for the sailors

Sailors wouldn’t get much rest on a rough journey. The sailor in the hammock over there could be called to work at any time. Life at sea was ruled by the round of four-hour watches but whether you got this rest was up to the winds. Ah, hear the Master.The wind is lifting! All hands on deck!I’ve not been in my hammock for long. I’m so tired.When the wind became too strong, the sails were reduced so they didn’t get damaged by violent storms. On the Amity’s journey, there would have been many times that the sail was reduced to the point of ‘running under bare poles’.

Hazards to health

There were many hazards on board a sailing ship. Falling from the rigging was just one of the risks for seamen. What was feared most was disease. Any illness which spread rapidly through the crowded conditions below deck. Look through the doorway. More than forty men lived here for the six-week journey. Scurvy is one of the worst illnesses for those at sea. By the time of the Amity’s voyage to King George Sound, it was well known that fresh vegetables, lemons and limes prevented scurvy. Lemons, soap and arrowroot for digestion were included in the ship’s manifest or list of provisions. This shows that those in charge were keen to ensure the health of all on board. In fact, soap was a new addition to the provision list of sailing vessels worldwide.

Lower Deck

The cargo

The supplies were stored here in the hold in barrels, wooden chests, and sacks. You can discover more about the supplies by exploring the barrels. As well as food for the journey and early days of the settlement, the brig carried building materials, vegetable and fruit seeds, arms and ammunitions, extra uniforms and clothing.

The convicts' skills

Imagine setting off to build a town from scratch. What kind of tools and skills would you need? Twenty-three convicts were hand-picked in Sydney to be the work force for the task ahead. To build a shelter, there was a brick maker, a stonemason and carpenters. To provide food and clothing, there was a gardener, a baker, a tailor and a shoemaker. Then there were convicts skilled with horses, a file maker to sharpen knives and axes, a blacksmith, two boatmen plus some labourers. Look inside the chest at some of the tools they would have needed. Would you choose to take the same tools and skills with you today?

Captain's Cabin

Officers' section

Compared to the living conditions of the others on board, the officers and staff had more space and comfort. Picture Lieut. Festing, Assistant Surgeon Nind and others, sitting around this table, enjoying a rum together at the end of the day. No doubt they would be discussing progress on the journey, and wondering what they will find when the Amity reaches its destination.Now we’re past Van Diemen’s Land, our progress should be better. Some good winds will help us. Heaven knows, the prospect of more delay is not a pleasant thought. 
We must be through the worst of it. 
Let’s hope you’re right, Nind.

Nind's cabin

Assistant Surgeon Isaac Scott Nind was lucky. He had a cabin to himself to which he could retreat.Ah, sometimes I’m so thankful for the small amount of privacy my cabin provides me, even if I do have to share it with my supplies and tools.

Lockyer's cabin

Here is Major Lockyer in his cabin, pausing before he joins the others at the end of the day. You can see some of his maps and belongings on the shelves and in the drawers. There was no satellite navigation in the Amity’s day. There were just two pieces of equipment – the marine chronometer and the sextant. The chronometer was basically an extremely precise watch, set to Greenwich Mean Time. It was used to calculate longitude. This was used along with the sextant. Sightings are taken through the sextant to measure the height of the stars, the sun or moon from the horizon. Together the two readings were used to determine the exact position of the vessel at fixed times during the day and night.

Destination reached

Finally on the afternoon of Christmas Day, December 25, 1826, the Amity sailed into King George Sound. It anchored not far from here in Princess Royal Harbour. Major Lockyer decided not to land that evening but to wait until the next day. All on board had to wait at least one more night on the stinking ship before they received their Christmas present of dry land. Now, listen to a Menang woman talk about the arrival of the Amity in her country.

Who are these white people?

We saw them come across the water. We’d seen others come and go – these pale-skinned visitors – djanga. They are the ghosts of our people returning from kuranup – the spirit world. I wonder how long they will stay here. We hope they’ll be friendly, not like the other fellows who come in smaller boats and steal our sisters. Our men have told us there are many wadjela fellows there. No-one has come off the ship yet. Maybe they won’t stay. All my sisters and coolingas – we keep out of sight.

New arrivals' contact with Menang people

As Lockyer and Festing stood on the shore near here, two friendly Menang men and a boy came up to them. One was Mokare, the Menang leader. By the next day, the mood had changed. A convict was speared. Fortunately, Lockyer realized that this was due to the cruel treatment the Menang had received from other white men, the sealers. Hours earlier, a boat from the Amity had rescued four kidnapped Menang men from Michaelmas Island in King George Sound. Let’s hear what Major Lockyer had to say about the sealers.The lawless manner in which these sealers are ranging about requires some immediate measures to control them. They are a complete set of pirates.Lockyer banned any retaliation or any action at all, excepting in absolute self-defense.

Building the settlement

The settlement was established near here. Look across the railway line to Parade Street just uphill from where you are now. This is where Lockyer decided to establish the settlement, and on December 30, five days after the Amity anchored, the convicts, stores and baggage were finally able to escape the confines of the Brig. Despite bad weather, they managed to pitch tents and build a basic store hut. Their first job was to build shelter. Basic wattle and daub buildings were constructed to house the officers and soldiers and to store supplies and equipment. The convicts did not get the luxury of a solid building. They stayed under canvas or grass shelters. What did the local people think? Let’s listen to a young Menang woman tell her story.

Watching the white men come off the ship

I hide with my sisters and watch. More and more wadjela fellows have come off the ship. Some are dressed the same, others are wearing different colours. There are things I have never seen before, and there are lots of new sounds. They have so many things with them. The other fellows who came before had not brought so much with them. I wonder why these wadjelas have brought all these things? Mokare has been to see them. They have brought some of our people back to us. All us fellows are happy about that. I wonder when they will go on their way?

Difficult days

The new settlement struggled. The lack of food was a major problem. Settlers relied on ships bringing food and these arrivals were few and far between. The supplies don’t sound that appetizing, but the flour, salted meat, sugar, peas, ships biscuits and raisins were welcomed. The most popular local meat was mutton bird, and fish and kangaroo were eaten as well. Growing food in this poor soil proved to be a challenge. After trying a number of locations, better soil was found at what became the government farm, later known as Strawberry Hill Farm.

An uncertain future

Looking at Albany now, it’s hard to believe that at the beginning, its future was very uncertain. Four months after arriving, Lockyer returned to Sydney. He was not convinced that it was a good site for a convict settlement, but he did realize that its location could be useful to defend British territory. At the same time, glowing reports were being heard about the Swan River as the site for a new colony. The New South Wales government was unsure what to do. It finally decided to remove the convicts from King George Sound to open it to free settlers, and to bring it under the new Swan River Colony’s control. So, in March 1831 the convicts - that is those who had not already escaped - were collected and returned to New South Wales. 20 years would pass before convicts were seen here again. A new regiment of soldiers were installed. Soon after in 1832, Governor Stirling of the Swan River Colony renamed the tiny settlement “Albany”.

Enjoy the history around you

From here, you can see many important features of Albany’s history. Looking seaward is the Albany port, which exports grain, woodchips and logs. In the 1850s Albany became the mail port and a major coaling depot for steam ships. Since then, the port has been vital to the region’s economy. Now, look back to the land. Behind the old stone wall in front of you is a garden based on Indigenous seasons and plants. It’s been created by the local Aboriginal community, and they invite you to enjoy it. Beyond that is the old gaol. When you leave the Amity find out about Mouchemore Cottage to your left, and the old sea wall to your right. The Residency building further to your right was first built in 1856 as a store and depot for hiring convicts. It became a house for the Resident Magistrate in 1873. It is now part of the Western Australian Museum. Enjoy your journey through Albany’s history.

Brig Amity Audio Tour

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