A question to ponder...

[Leaping Lindner]

The child would have born in Australian waters and the birth would have been registered here when the boat docked so I would has at a guess Australian.
My Great Grandfather was born here a year after his parents landed (1851) but had a sister that was born on route and she was always considered Australian in the family.

Considered Australian is one thing, but where did the birth certificate say she was born? Mind you, it was common for births not to be registered back in the day.

The state library has books which index all births in South Australia. Details are pretty basic Name, date, parents and location. It would be interesting to find this particluar person and see what is listed as location. Mind you it might say " born on voyage " which doesn't answer the question! .

[Media Park]

I would say English.

[Footy Chick]

I just found this:

Notice to all Captains and Commanding Officers of British Vessels
respecting Registry of Birth and Deaths at Sea. [circa 1837]

The Registrar-General of Births, Deaths, and Marriages in England, hereby directs the attention of all Captains or Commanding Officers of British Vessels to the following Provisions of the Act of the 6th and 7th of William IV. cap. 86, entitled " An Act for Registering Births, Deaths, and Marriages in England. " namely :—
In the 21st Section it is enacted, " That if any Child of an English Parent shall be born at Sea, on board a British Vessel, the Captain or Commanding Officer of the Vessel on board of which the said Child shall have been born shall forthwith make a Minute of the several Particulars herein-before required to be inserted in the Register touching the Birth of such Child, so far as the same may be known, and the name of the Vessel wherein the Birth took place, and shall, on the arrival of the Vessel in any Port of the United Kingdom, or by any other sooner opportunity, send a Certificate of the said Minute, through the Post-Office, to the Registrar-General. "
The following are the Schedules containing the particulars required to be inserted in the Register, so far as the same may be known :—

183 .—BIRTH of a Child at Sea, on Board of [here name the Vessel]
When
Born Name
if any. Sex Name and
Surname
of Father Name and
Maiden
Surname of
Mother Rank or
Profession
of Father Signature,
Description,
and Residence
of Infomant. When
Regis-
tered Signature
of
Registrar *
Baptismal Name,
if added after Registration
of Birth.


* Instead of the Registrar, let the Captain or Commanding Officer here sign his name
183 .—DEATH at Sea, on Board of [here name the Vessel]
When
Died Name and
Surname Sex Age Rank or
Profession Cause
of Death Signature,
Description,
and Residence
of Infomant. When
Registered Signature
of
Registrar *


* Instead of the Registrar, let the Captain or Commanding Officer here sign his name

The word " English " includes only Natives of England and Wales. The word " British " includes Vessels belonging to all parts of the British Empire.The Minute may be made in the Ships's Log, and the Certificate of the Minute shall be a true copy of it, with the following words, or others to the like effect, subscribed :—