It was built possibly on the Parramatta River, by shipbuilder Henry Gilbert,[1] and launched in Sydney on 14 March 1831.

[2] Its first voyage was on 1 June on the Parramatta River[3] under the command of Captain Devlin during which the vessel reached 3 knots.

[2] Surprise was not a financial success and after six months her owners, the Smith Brothers, sold her to Tasmanian interests.

With both Surprise and Sophia Jane removed from the Parramatta River service, passengers returned to watermen's boats.

Newer steamers, such as Experiment, Australia, and Rapid were put onto the Parramatta River service later in the 1830s with various degrees of success.