Building of the "Independence"Print Page

The cairn commemorates the building of the schooner Independence by American sailors and whalers and the launching of the ship near the site in 1804. Plans are presently underway to rebuild the schooner. 

Independence, a 35-ton schooner, was the first ship constructed in South Australian waters. The crew of the visiting American sealing brig Union, under the command of Capt. Isaac Pendleton, built her between April and August 1803 at what is now known as American River on Kangaroo Island. Daniel Wright, the ship's carpenter, was in charge of the construction of the Independence at the mouth of Ship Creek, 800 metres west of the present-day American River oval. As was common practice at the time, Union carried the frame of a small schooner. This, possibly with the addition of some locally sourced timber, was used to build a smaller vessel. As the new vessel was to be smaller than Union, it would have better access to shallow waters. Thus was born Independence.

The Union and the Independence set sail for China in 1804.  On 15 June 1805, Independence set sail from Sydney for the Antipodes Islands (860 kilometres south east of Dunedin New Zealand) and was never seen again. The Sydney Gazette reported the loss on 16 March 1806.

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