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New South Wales Signal Flags (Australia)

Visiting flag
Pilot not required flag

See also:

Visiting flag

The Visiting Flag, a blue flag at the mainmast head, was a form of quarantine flag in New South Wales in the 1840s.

It was the responsibility of the pilot to see that the Visiting Flag was hoisted.

Published in a Supplement to the New South Wales Government Gazette, 5 January 1844.
“An Act further to amend an Act, intituled ‘An Act for the better preservation of the Ports, Harbours, Havens, Roadsteads, Channels, Navigable Creeks, and Rivers, in New South Wales, and the better regulation of Shipping in the same.’
VIII. And be it enacted, That every Pilot in charge of a Vessel, arriving in the Harbour of Port Jackson, from parts beyond seas, not being from Ports in Van Diemen’s Land or Port Phillip, shall, immediately on boarding such Vessel, cause a blue flag to be hoisted at the main-mast head, and shall cause the same to be kept flying until such Vessel shall be boarded by the Health Officer; and every Pilot who shall not be provided with a blue flag for the purpose aforesaid, or who shall willfully neglect to cause the same to be hoisted in manner aforesaid, shall forfeit and pay, for every such offence, any sum not exceeding Ten Pounds, to be recovered in manner hereinafter mentioned.”

David Prothero, 29 March 2015

Pilot not required flag

New South Wales, pilot not required flag; 1840s.
White flag at main-mast head shows that pilotage is not required.

Published in a Supplement to the New South Wales Government Gazette, 5 January 1844.
“An Act further to amend an Act, intituled ‘An Act for the better preservation of the Ports, Harbours, Havens, Roadsteads, Channels, Navigable Creeks, and Rivers, in New South Wales, and the better regulation of Shipping in the same.’
X. And be it enacted, That the Masters or Commanders of all Coasting Vessels, and all Ships and Vessels trading between Port Jackson and Van Dieman’s Land, shall, on arriving within one league of the Light House, on the South Head of Port Jackson, cause a white flag to be hoisted at the main-mast head, and keep the same flying until abreast of the floating light near the entrance of Port Jackson; and the Master or Commander of any Vessel, arriving as aforesaid, who shall neglect to have such flag flying as aforesaid, and whose Vessel shall be boarded by a licensed Pilot, in consequence of such neglect, shall be subject to the payment of Pilotage rates in respect of such Vessel, in the same manner as if a Pilot had been actually required and employed by him, any law or regulation to the contrary, notwithstanding.”

David Prothero, 30 March 2015