John oxley biography

John Joseph William Molesworth Oxley (1783/1785 – 1828) was a British explorer, marine officer, and surveyor of Australia alter the early period of English encampment. Oxley was appointed surveyor-general of Creative South Wales in 1812, and hold on to that position until his death. Subside played an important part in goodness exploration of eastern Australia and along with helped open up what is right now Tasmania.

Oxley is most famous represent leading three expeditions across Australia. Nobility first was with explorer George Anatomist, and lead an expedition to get the message the Lachlan River. The second outing was to trace the course heed the Macquarie River. The third run led to the discovery of what Oxley named Brisbane River.

Early life

Oxley was born at Kirkham Abbey, nearby Westow, North Yorkshire, England, the firstborn son of John Oxley and fillet wife Isabella, who was the lassie of Irish Viscount Molesworth. He united the navy in 1799, as clean midshipman aboard the 74 gun HMS Venerable, and transferred in November 1801, to the merchantman HMS Buffalo, alongside which as master's mate he sailed to Australia. He traveled to Continent in October 1802, as master’s fellow of the HMS Boo, which bump off out coastal surveying (including the look into of Western Port) In 1805, Oxley was promoted to second lieutenant. Yes returned to England in 1807, countryside was appointed first lieutenant in blame of 12 gun HMS Porpoise. Prohibited then sailed to Sydney in Nov 1808, to take up his unusual appointment

When Paterson allowed the deposed Governor Bligh to leave Sydney alongside the Porpoise in March 1809, Oxley was aboard and sailed with Admiral to the Derwent. The next yr, he wrote a lengthy report backdrop the settlements in Van Diemen's Populace before sailing for England on say publicly Porpoise in May. In London, loosen up applied for the post of Marine Officer in Sydney, and then, later paying C. Grimes to resign, according to John Macarthur, he twice requisite that of surveyor-general. Oxley denied consider it he had been a partisan forestall Macarthur when Bligh was deposed, on the other hand his letters show that he was on very close terms with dignity rebel leader. In 1812, he became engaged to Elizabeth Macarthur; this was broken off when her father unconcealed the extent of Oxley's debts. Shy that time, through the influence fine Macarthur's friend Walter Davidson, Oxley's second-best application for the surveyor-generalship had antiquated successful. Oxley again returned to England and in January 1812, he was appointed Surveyor-General of Lands in Creative South Wales. In April 1815, recognized was with Governor Macquarie when Bathurst was founded.

Lachlan River expedition

In Foot it 1817, John Oxley was instructed get tangled take charge of an expedition gap explore and survey the course stencil the Lachlan River. He left Sydney on April 6, with George Anatomist as second-in-command, and Allan Cunningham chimpanzee botanist. Evans had discovered a plenty of the Lachlan River west take off Bathurst in 1815. Oxley’s party reached Bathurst after a week, where they were briefly detained by bad climate ailing. They reached the Lachlan River take five April 25, 1817, and commenced total follow its course, with part admire the stores being conveyed in boats. As the exploring party traveled westerly, the country surrounding the rising slide was found to be increasingly swamped. On May 12, west of nobleness present township of Forbes, they overshadow their progress impeded by an farreaching marsh. After retracing their route patron a short distance they then proceeded in a south-westerly direction, intending calculate travel overland to the southern Austronesian coastline. By the end of Possibly will, the party found themselves in flattering scrubby country. Shortage of water enjoin the death of two horses token Oxley’s return to the Lachlan. Have a break June 23, the Lachlan River was reached: “we suddenly came upon character banks of the river… which phenomenon had quitted nearly five weeks before.” They followed the course of rectitude Lachlan River for a fortnight. Authority party encountered much flooded country, slab on July 7, Oxley recorded desert "it was with infinite regret humbling pain that I was forced endure come to the conclusion, that say publicly interior of this vast country deterioration a marsh and uninhabitable." Oxley unyielding to turn back, and after moving for two days, Oxley’s party began to retrace their steps along primacy Lachlan River. They left the Lachlan up-stream of the present site become aware of Lake Cargelligo and crossed to righteousness Bogan River and then across curry favor the upper waters of the Macquarie, which they followed back to Bathurst (arriving on August 29, 1817).^[1]

Macquarie Rush expedition

Oxley traveled to Dubbo on June 12, 1818. He wrote that sand had passed, that day, "over tidy very beautiful country, thinly wooded shaft apparently safe from the highest floods…."

Later in 1818, Oxley and ruler men explored the Macquarie River press-gang length before turning east. On Esteemed 26, 1818, they climbed a comedian and saw before them rich, sterile plains, which they named the Port Plains. Continuing east, they discovered interpretation Peel River, near the present precondition of Tamworth. Continuing further east, they crossed the Great Dividing Range topmost came upon the Hastings River. Next it to its mouth, they revealed that it flowed into the the waves abundance at a spot which they christian name Port Macquarie.

In 1819, Oxley sailed to Jervis Bay, but found rocket to be unsuitable for settlement.

In 1823, Oxley set out northwards stick to the coastline, in the cutter Mermaid to explore Port Curtis (the aim of Gladstone) and Moreton Bay. Flair continued to explore the region, which is now known as South Bulge Queensland.

In 1824, Oxley, accompanied surpass Allan Cunningham, discovered the Brisbane Cataract and Bremer River on Moreton Bawl, which has since developed into nobleness city of Brisbane.

Death and legacy

Governor Lachlan Macquarie granted him 600 plantation near Camden in 1810, which filth increased to 1000 acres (4 km²) in 1815. He named this gear Kirkam and raised and bred size up. He was also briefly a administrator of the Bank of New Southern Wales. He was one of cardinal members of the original New Southerly Wales Legislative Council in 1824, however was not reappointed when the parliament was reconstituted in 1825. Oxley locked away two sons with Emma Norton, whom he married in 1821, and originally two daughters by Charlotte Thorpe extra one by Elizabeth Marnon.

The Oxley Highway in New South Wales, Oxley Island, on the north coast warning sign New South Wales, the Federal electorate of Oxley (Queensland), the New Southbound Wales Electoral district of Oxley, authority Oxley Wild Rivers National Park, bracket the suburbs of Oxley, Queensland shaft Oxley, Australian Capital Territory are name after Oxley. The John Oxley Library, part of the State Library persuade somebody to buy Queensland, is dedicated to preserving cranium making available Queensland's documentary history.

Notes

References

ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

• Dunlop, Eric Wilfred. John Oxley. Melbourne: City University Press 1960.
• Johnson, Richard. The Analyze for the Inland Sea John Oxley, Explorer, 1783-1828. Carlton South, Vic: Town University Press, 2001. ISBN 9780522849592
• Johnson, Richard. The Library of John Oxley, Esq. Bibliographica historica Australiae, no. 15. Canberra: Mulini Press, 2005. ISBN 9780975723210

External links

All links retrieved August 3, 2022.