Lady Forrest was ordered by the Harbour and Light Department[1][2] for use by the newly created Fremantle Harbour Trust, replacing the Rottnest-Fremantle pilot Atlantic, which became a fishing boat,[3] and an insufficient earlier pilot, Pelican, built in 1900.[4]Atlantic and other pilots were replaced upon a state inquiry into pilot and coastal services after two major tragedies involving the wrecking of Carlisle Castle and City of York in 1899[5][1] with a combined death toll of 17 people.
Immigrants arriving in Western Australia were greeted by the State Labour Bureau headed by Auber Neville aboard the Lady Forrest.[9]
In August 1942 it had the brass conning tower installed from the Dutch submarine HNLMS K VIII which had been decommissioned and was later scuttled in Cockburn Sound.[10][5] When HMAS Dalgoma broke free of its anchors and collided with the coal hulkSamuel Plimsoll resulting in its sinking in 1945[11] the Lady Forrest took depth soundings to find deeper water.[12] In 1947 the White-Foster steam engine was replaced by a Gray Marinediesel engine from General Motors; it underwent another thorough overhaul in 1953.[5]
Lady Forrest displayed in the WA Maritime Museum, Elizabeth Quay in January 2021
Following the commissioning of a new pilot boat, MV Lady Gairdner, in 1959, Lady Forrest was transferred to handle customs and immigration officers;[5][1][13] in 1960 all Fremantle pilots received VHF international maritime radio telephones.[14]Lady Forrest was decommissioned in 1967[5][1] having completed 64 years of service. On 16 December 1970[15] it was donated to the WA Maritime Museum,[1][16] being restored various times, most recently in 2001; it went on display in the current museum building in 2013.[5]
Forrest Landing where Captain Fremantle is said to have first landed is named after the pilot boat, Lady Forrest.[6]
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