Henry Williams, the leader of the Church Missionary Society (CMS) mission in New Zealand, laid the keel for the vessel on 31 August 1824.
Williams needed a ship to provision the Paihia Mission and to visit the more remote areas of New Zealand to bring the Gospel to the Māori people.
[9] On 16 February 1826 Herald departed Paihia for Sydney (Port Jackson) to complete her fittings and to obtain a cargo of stores for the mission.
Also on board as passengers, were Mr and Mrs Puckey and their daughter, Rangituke (the son of Ana Hamu and Te Koki, a Ngāpuhi chief) and William Hall, who had become sick.
The passengers were Henry Williams, Richard Davis, George Clarke, James Shepherd, Rangituke and Te Koki.
[37][38][40] The Chief Mate William Lewington, made a statement in 1828, attested by James Norton, giving details of the wreck of the Herald and protesting that it was not due to any neglect of duty.