Thomas Mitchell
Thomas Livingstone Mitchell (June 15, 1792 - October 5, 1855) became Surveyor-General of New South Wales and laid out many Australian towns and roads. He also went on four main expeditions to explore south eastern Australia.
Early life
Thomas Mitchell was born in Craigend, now part of Glasgow, Scotland on June 15, 1792. He worked in his uncle's colliery (coal mine) business. He joined the British Army in 1811 with the rank of lieutenant. He fought in the Peninsula War in Spain against Napoleon. As well as actual fighting, he worked as a surveyor and made maps. After the war he made maps of the battlefields. He was made a Major in 1826, but was then put on half pay.
Surveyor-General
Mitchell was given a job as a surveyor in New South Wales in September 1827. His job was to map roads, and join existing small maps into one big map that showed all of New South Wales. After John Oxley died in 1828, Mitchell was made the Surveyor-General, in charge of all the survey work. He planned and improved the layout of roads, bridges, towns, and public reserves.
References
Australian Encyclopaedia Vol. 6, pgs. 110-112, Angus and Roberston, 1958
Australian explorers
Exploration of Australia
1792 births
1855 deaths
Scottish explorers
People from Glasgow