Salamander (1776)

Salamander was a convict ship dispatched in 1791 from England to Australia. She was built on the Thames River and launched in 1776. Under the command of Master John Nichol, she departed Portsmouth on 27 March 1791, with 160 male convicts as part of the third fleet and arrived on 21 August 1791 in Port Jackson, New South Wales. Five convicts died during the voyage. She left Port Jackson on 4 September 1791 for Norfolk Island and on the voyage was the first known vessel to enter Port Stephens. Salamander Point (now Nelson Head and Fly Point), Salamander Bay (now Nelson Bay) and the present Salamander Bay were named after her. Salamander was then used as a whaler in the South Pacific and without much luck then continued to Peru, before heading back to England.