Farm Coye, seen from Fort Denison, Sydney

Wilson was the artist and photographer on board HMS 'Herald' on her voyage to the Pacific Ocean and Austrailia from 1852-1860. In one of the Macarthur family's albums in the Mitchell Library, Sydney, is a rare lithograph by Wilson which shows a closer view of Farm Cove with HMS 'Herald', its tender 'Torch' and HMS 'Sepent' with their their names beneath the image. The 'Herald' was based in Sydney from 1856 to 1860.

Fort Denison, constructed on a rocky island in Sydney harbour was ready for occupation by late 1857 and the guns installed before December 1858.