In 1838 Whittaker went on a voyage to Austratia as "gardener". His new employer was Lt. Col. George Gawler who had recently been appointed as the second Governor of South Australia. Whittaker, seven other employees from Derbyshire, Gawler and his wife and children arrived on the Pestonjee Bomanjee on 12 October 1838 in Adelaide. They had traveled for four months via Rio de Janeiro. When Whittaker and Gawler arrived they found poor conditions so gardening was not important.