Robert Watson: Pioneering keeper of the light

Robert Watson was born in Northumberland, England. His exact birth year is unclear. Official records of his arrival in Australia suggest he was born in 1766; however, his death certificate indicates his birth year was 1756.

A sailor by profession, Watson arrived in NSW with the First Fleet in 1788. He was a crew member of the HMS Sirius and had been promoted to Quarter Master during the voyage from England. In this position, he reported to the ship’s helmsman and was responsible for navigation and steering.

In October of the same year, the crew of the Sirius, including Watson, departed the colony and set sail for Cape Town – a 2-month journey. Their objective? To source much needed supplies for the fledgling settlement at Sydney Cove. Watson and his shipmates returned to Sydney, approximately 7 months later, bringing with them grain, salted beef, port, peas, butter and livestock.   

In March 1790, Watson was aboard the Sirius when it struck a reef and sank while attempting to deliver supplies to the settlement at Norfolk Island – also a penal establishment – during bad weather. Watson survived but he and his shipmates were stranded on the island for nearly a year. In 1791, the crew of the ill-fated Sirius found their way off the island as passengers of the HMS Supply.  Watson and the crew of the Sirius had not been rescued sooner because, at that time, the Supply was the only ship available to support the settlement at Sydney Cove.

A few months later, Watson arrived back in NSW as a free settler and was granted 60 acres of land. By 1793, he had sold his acreage and joined the crew of the schooner Francis – a job he held for some years. In 1801, Watson found new employment as Boatswain of the Naval Dockyard, located on the western shore of Sydney Cove. That same year, he was granted land at South Head, near the entrance to Sydney Cove. A newspaper report from 1805 indicates Watson grew maize on his property.

Around 1811, the Governor of NSW, Lachlan Macquarie, appointed Watson as Senior Pilot of Port Jackson. Shortly after, Macquarie promoted Watson to the position of Harbour Master of Port Jackson and granted him a license to sell liquor. Further, Macquarie honoured Watson by naming the end of the South head peninsula after him: Watsons Bay. By this time, Watson was earning £50 per year from his endeavours, which included his continued employment as Boatswain of the Dockyard. Further, he owned a stone house and outbuildings at Watsons Bay.

In 1814, Watson received a £20 gratuity from Governor Macquarie in recognition of his services piloting the vessel Kangaroo during the evacuation of Norfolk Island, which was closed as a settlement due to its remoteness and the high cost of administration.

In 1816, Watson was charged and convicted of stealing canvas, which was the property of the crown. Consequently, he was dismissed from all his official positions for misconduct. However, the setback was brief. Two years later, on 28 November 1818, Watson was appointed Superintendent and Keeper of the Light at Macquarie Lighthouse, with a salary of £50 per year, paid quarterly from the Police Fund. This fund held money derived from import duties and industry-specific taxes. Watson was paid from this fund because he was seen as serving a vital policing or maritime law enforcement function.

Watson’s final government appointment was short-lived. At the end of October 1819, he requested a temporary leave of absence due to ill health. The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser reported his death on 1 November 1819, noting that he passed away “at his house on the Rocks, Mr. Robert Watson, many years Pilot and Harbour Master.”

Robert Watson spent 31 years in the colony, choosing to remain as a settler rather than return to England. His legacy lives on in the suburb of Watsons Bay and HMAS Watson at South Head, while a stone seat in Robertson’s Park at Watsons Bay, commemorates his contributions and achievements. These included being part of the First Fleet, being the colony’s first Pilot and Harbour Master, and being the namesake of Watsons Bay.

References

• Fellowship of First Fleeters, Robert Watson – HMS Sirius. Fellowship Of First Fleeters (Accessed 7 October 2025)
• Lea-Scarlett, E J., Robert Watson (1756-1819), Australian Dictionary of Biography , Volume 2, 1967  Biography - Robert Watson - Australian Dictionary of Biography (Accessed 7 October 2025)
• The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser, Saturday 26 May 1805, page 3
• The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser, Saturday 17 August 1811, page 1
• The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser, Saturday 5 October 1816, page 2
• The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser, Saturday 2 November 1816, page 1
• The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser, Saturday 12 October 1816, page 2
• The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser, Saturday 28 November 1818, page 1
• The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser, Saturday 4 December 1819, page 1
• Kingston Norfolk Island, British Colonial Settlement. 1788-1814.  British Colonial Settlement 1788-1814 | Kingston and Arthur’s Vale Historic Area  (Accessed 7 October 2025
• Research Data Australia, Police Fund.AGY-5313 | Police Fund

Article was originally published on 20 November 2025.