These are the surviving pre-1900 historic merchant ships involved in deep-water trade and have been preserved.
Unlike most heritage ships, the City of Adelaide has strong ties with Port Adelaide where it is proposed to preserve her.
| 1843 - Great Britain | Iron steamship, Bristol, United Kingdom |
| 1853 - Edwin Fox | Wood 3 masted sailing ship, Picton, New Zealand |
| 1863 - Star of India | Iron 3 masted sailing ship, San Diego, United States of America |
| 1864 - City of Adelaide | Composite iron/wood 3 masted sailing ship |
| 1869 - Cutty Sark | Composite iron/wood 3 masted sailing ship, Greenwich, United Kingdom |
| 1874 - James Craig | Iron 3 masted sailing ship, Sydney, Australia |
| 1843 - Elissa | Iron 3 masted sailing ship, Galveston, United States of America |
| 1878 - Falls of Clyde | Iron 4 masted sailing ship, Honolulu, United States of America |
| 1885 - Wavertree | Iron 3 masted sailing ship, New York, United States of America |
| 1885 - Polly Woodside | Iron 3 masted barque, Melbourne, Australia |
| 1886 - Balclutha | Iron 3 masted sailing ship, San Francisco, United States of America |
| 1896 - Rickmer Rickmers | Steel 3 masted sailing ship, Hamburg, Germany |
| 1896 - Glenlee | Steel 3 masted barque, Glasgow, United Kingdom |
