The "Norwood" arrived at Fremantle, Western Australia on 13 July. On arrival Sykes was assigned a number, 9589, and recorded as "about five feet six and three-quarter inches in height, with light brown hair, grey eyes, an oval visage of light complexion, and in appearance healthy"; shortly afterwards he was sent to Bunbury to work on the roads. He worked in the district for seven years. He is then believed to have been sent to Newcastle (now Toodyay) around October 1875. By 1877 he had gained his ticket of leave, and was registered to work in the Toodyay district. He worked for a short time as a servant to the medical officer William Mayhew before working at various labouring jobs in the district, including grubbing, woodcutting, fencing, and well sinking. He apparently worked well until November 1879, but over the following three years his record indicates that he was often fined for drunkenness.