Captain George Sutherland was employed in 1819 by Mary Reiby, a Sydney trader, to collect sealskins and salt from Kangaroo Island. He stayed on the island for eight months from January to August and 12 years later provided a detailed report on the island. Sutherland was an experienced captain having made the voyage from England to Sydney a number of times. His report was made to the Committee formed in London for the purpose of establishing a colony in South Australia. This report was subsequently published in several publications which promoted a settlement in South Australia.

Sutherland's report was detailed and he was, in addition cross-examined by the committee in 1831. The South Australian Company officials subsequently considered that Sutherland's reports were inaccurate, but it should be taken into consideration that the Australian climate was still poorly understood, and Sutherland may have been on the island in an unusually good year.