Admiral John Hunter 1737-1821

Hunter was commissioned in 1780, and came with the First Fleet as second captain on Sirius. After losing the ship at Norfolk island, he returned to England. Although the ailing Phillip recommended Philip King as his successor, Hunter was chosen and arrived back after an inter-regnum of governance by NSW Corps officers Grose and Patterson; the Corps’ dominance of farming and commercial interests was established by the time of his arrival in 1795.  

He failed to establish his authority, the odds being stacked against him by his miniscule administrative staff and few sympathisers in the free population, and the diverse and indecisive directions from London. After Macarthur saw his initial manipulative success fail, he turned against Hunter and worked for his recall.

Hunter attempted to impose restraint on profiteering by the military which was crippling commerce, and attempted to direct the Colony to self-sufficiency based on private production. The NSW Corps was able to convince the home government of his shortcomings and he was replaced by Philip King in 1800.