In 1829 he married and left three weeks later for Australia on the 443-ton Parmelia with his wife and servants, arriving at the coast of what was to become the Swan River settlement on 31 May 1829.

In 1822 and 1823, as commander of Satellite, he carried out surveys of channels and port entries on the coast of New South Wales and in 1822 commented critically on the penal colony at Newcastle, reporting "King Lash is master here".

Starting in May 1823, Currie, together with Brigade Major John Ovens[9] and experienced bushman Joseph Wild explored the country east and south-west of Lake George in New South Wales.

After crossing several rivers and the Goulburn plains they arrived at the east bank of the lake, at about 11 miles (18 km) north of the southern end.

[11] The Nore was a naval station at the mouth of the River Thames and for several hundred years one of the most important commands for the defence of the United Kingdom.

Initial Government reaction was unfavourable, but his persistence and enthusiasm paid off and by November the scheme had support from Sir George Murray, Secretary for War and the Colonies, and had gained an unstoppable momentum.

By this time the team of administrators had been decided and on 31 December 1828, Under Secretary Robert W Hay[12] formally appointed Currie as Harbour Master for the new settlement, on no salary.

In the meantime I am to acquaint you that his Excellency expects from your zeal the performance of the service required of you without reward of remuneration beyond the satisfaction you will derive from the fulfilment of a duty of this confidential nature."

The next day Captain Charles Fremantle, who had been sent ahead in HMS Challenger to claim the colony for King George IV, and the combined efforts of the crews of both ships "extricated her from her perilous situation after she had received much damage".

Soon after arrival Currie, on the Governor's pony, was declared the winner of the colony's first unofficial horse race, held on the shore of Garden Island.

Currie was present at the ceremony and later the same day took up his duties, at a salary of 100 pounds, as the first Harbour Master of Fremantle, responsible for pilotage and services at the port.

This was to provide offices for the Colonial Secretary, the Surveyor General, the Harbour Master, the Civil Engineer and the Commissioners of the Board of Counsel and Audit.

[7] However, later that year, Currie decided it would be more convenient to make his office as Harbour Master and Postmaster on board the wreck of the Marquis of Anglesea, which had been swept ashore in a gale on 23 August 1829.

Currie became the Swan River Colony's first Auditor, appointed 1 July 1831, at a salary of 300 pounds "because his ability, intelligence and Integrity render him far more valuable to the public in that capacity than as Harbour Master".

On his own initiative Stirling added Currie to the list as clerk to the council, as he "could not find within the colony a person better calculated than the gentleman who now fills it".

[7] This was high praise, but wasted, because later that year Currie wrote to Peter Brown requesting that the Governor grant him leave of absence "to proceed thither" to England because of "urgent private affairs".

This was granted on 26 June and on 12 August, the third anniversary of the Foundation of Perth, Currie and his family left the colony on Sulphur, not to return.

Here, early in 1831, he built a brick homestead, near the present day Water Street, which he named Redcliff, after the steep red clay banks of the river.

[8][19] In January 1854, Rear Admiral Sir James Stirling was appointed Commander-in-Chief China and the East Indies Station and immediately wrote to the Admiralty applying for Currie to be his secretary.