George Macleay
Encyclopedia
Sir George Macleay KCMG
, (1809 – 24 June 1891) was an Australia
n explorer and politician.
Macleay was born in London
, the third son of Alexander Macleay
and educated at Westminster School
. He came to Australia in 1826.
In November 1829 he accompanied Charles Sturt
on his second expedition to the mouth of the Murray River
and back. Early in April 1830, after difficulties on the expedition and the whole party was practically exhausted, Sturt recorded that "amidst these distresses Macleay preserved his good humour and did his utmost to lighten the toil and to cheer the men". Macleay and Sturt remained good friends and corresponded regularly until Sturt's death in 1869.
Macleay then lived on and farmed the Brownlow estate, between Goulburn
and Yass
from 1831 to 1859.
In 1854 Macleay became a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council
, and in April 1856 was elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
for Murrumbidgee
. He was a conservative. He declined a ministry position in Henry Parker's brief premiership in 1857.
In 1859 Macleay returned to England where he was elected a fellow of the Linnean Society in 1860. He spent the remainder of his life in the south of France apart from returning briefly to Sydney in 1873 to finalise his affairs there. He also travelled in his steam yacht to the Greek islands, Turkey
and Syria
.
Macleay was also a keen zoologist, he donated fossil specimes he collected from the Murrumbidgee River
to the Australian Museum
. He was also a museum trustee and contributed to Richard Owen
's book on the fossils of Australia. On his 1873 visit, he collected a Queensland lungfish
or Ceratodus forsteri (now called Neoceratodus forsteri)and took it back to London for T. H. Huxley to dissect and describe in an 1876 paper which identified the supplier as "my friend Sir George Macleay . . . on a recent visit to Australia".
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
, (1809 – 24 June 1891) was an Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n explorer and politician.
Macleay was born in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, the third son of Alexander Macleay
Alexander Macleay
Hon. Alexander Macleay MLC FLS FRS was a leading member of the Linnean Society and a fellow of the Royal Society.Macleay was born on Ross-shire, Scotland, eldest son of William Macleay, provost of Wick...
and educated at Westminster School
Westminster School
The Royal College of St. Peter in Westminster, almost always known as Westminster School, is one of Britain's leading independent schools, with the highest Oxford and Cambridge acceptance rate of any secondary school or college in Britain...
. He came to Australia in 1826.
In November 1829 he accompanied Charles Sturt
Charles Sturt
Captain Charles Napier Sturt was an English explorer of Australia, and part of the European Exploration of Australia. He led several expeditions into the interior of the continent, starting from both Sydney and later from Adelaide. His expeditions traced several of the westward-flowing rivers,...
on his second expedition to the mouth of the Murray River
Murray River
The Murray River is Australia's longest river. At in length, the Murray rises in the Australian Alps, draining the western side of Australia's highest mountains and, for most of its length, meanders across Australia's inland plains, forming the border between New South Wales and Victoria as it...
and back. Early in April 1830, after difficulties on the expedition and the whole party was practically exhausted, Sturt recorded that "amidst these distresses Macleay preserved his good humour and did his utmost to lighten the toil and to cheer the men". Macleay and Sturt remained good friends and corresponded regularly until Sturt's death in 1869.
Macleay then lived on and farmed the Brownlow estate, between Goulburn
Goulburn, New South Wales
Goulburn is a provincial city in the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia in Goulburn Mulwaree Council Local Government Area. It is located south-west of Sydney on the Hume Highway and above sea-level. On Census night 2006, Goulburn had a population of 20,127 people...
and Yass
Yass, New South Wales
Yass is a town in the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia in Yass Valley Shire. The name appears to have been derived from an Aboriginal word, "Yarrh" , said to mean 'running water'....
from 1831 to 1859.
In 1854 Macleay became a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council
New South Wales Legislative Council
The New South Wales Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of the parliament of New South Wales in Australia. The other is the Legislative Assembly. Both sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney. The Assembly is referred to as the lower house and the Council as...
, and in April 1856 was elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
New South Wales Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of New South Wales, an Australian state. The other chamber is the Legislative Council. Both the Assembly and Council sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney...
for Murrumbidgee
Electoral district of Murrumbidgee
Murrumbidgee is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales, named after the Murrumbidgee River. It is represented by Adrian Piccoli of the National Party of Australia....
. He was a conservative. He declined a ministry position in Henry Parker's brief premiership in 1857.
In 1859 Macleay returned to England where he was elected a fellow of the Linnean Society in 1860. He spent the remainder of his life in the south of France apart from returning briefly to Sydney in 1873 to finalise his affairs there. He also travelled in his steam yacht to the Greek islands, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
and Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
.
Macleay was also a keen zoologist, he donated fossil specimes he collected from the Murrumbidgee River
Murrumbidgee River
The Murrumbidgee River is a major river in the state of New South Wales, Australia, and the Australian Capital Territory . A major tributary of the Murray River, the Murrumbidgee flows in a west-northwesterly direction from the foot of Peppercorn Hill in the Fiery Range of the Snowy Mountains,...
to the Australian Museum
Australian Museum
The Australian Museum is the oldest museum in Australia, with an international reputation in the fields of natural history and anthropology. It features collections of vertebrate and invertebrate zoology, as well as mineralogy, palaeontology, and anthropology...
. He was also a museum trustee and contributed to Richard Owen
Richard Owen
Sir Richard Owen, FRS KCB was an English biologist, comparative anatomist and palaeontologist.Owen is probably best remembered today for coining the word Dinosauria and for his outspoken opposition to Charles Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection...
's book on the fossils of Australia. On his 1873 visit, he collected a Queensland lungfish
Queensland Lungfish
The Queensland lungfish, Neoceratodus forsteri is the sole surviving member of the family Ceratodontidae and order Ceratodontiformes. It is one of only six extant lungfish species in the world...
or Ceratodus forsteri (now called Neoceratodus forsteri)and took it back to London for T. H. Huxley to dissect and describe in an 1876 paper which identified the supplier as "my friend Sir George Macleay . . . on a recent visit to Australia".