Frederick Meredith joined HMS Sirius as an able seaman on 2 May 1788, having transferred from the transport ship Scarborough. He had travelled to New South Wales as Captain John Marshall’s steward and was known to be literate.

Garden Island in Port Jackson was originally known by its Aboriginal name, Booroowang, meaning “fishing place.”

In February 1788 it became known as Sirius Garden Island, reflecting its use as the ship’s garden.

Frederick Meredith’s carving, “FM 1788,” can still be seen on a rock at Garden Island, where he and other crew members were assigned to establish the garden.