The Archer brothers
Encyclopedia
The Archer brothers were among the earliest settlers in Queensland
. They were explorers and pastoralists. Seven sons of William Archer, a Scottish
timber merchant, they spent varying amounts of time in the colony of New South Wales
, mainly in parts of what later became Queensland. A substantial number of locations in Queensland were either named by or for them. They were, in order of birth:
, an eastern tributary of the Brisbane River
. There, near present day Woodford
, they established Durundur Station, a holding of 200 square miles (518 km²), which is equal to 128000 acre (51,800 ha). Durundur is an aboriginal name for the Moreton Bay Ash (Eucalyptus tessellaris
) The Archer name is seen in the main street of Woodford, and in Mount Archer about 12 kilometres (7 mi) to the west.
Charles Archer arrived in Australia in 1841, and joined his brothers at Durundur in 1843. He was accompanied by the explorer Ludwig Leichhardt
, who stayed at Durundur for several months until early 1844. The country at Durundur proved unsuitable for sheep, leading the brothers to take up two runs further west in 1845. One of these was Cooyar, a holding of 71660 acre (29,000 ha) on Cooyar Creek, a western tributary of the Brisbane River, near present day Cooyar
, 90 kilometres (55.9 mi) north of Toowoomba
, on the New England Highway
. The other was Emu Creek, a holding of 32000 acre (12,950 ha) on Emu Creek, another western tributary of the Brisbane River.
, but did not take up any land. In 1848 he travelled north to the Burnett region, which led to two runs being taken up on the Burnett River
in the names of David and Thomas Archer. One of these was named Eidsvold, after Eidsvoll
, Norway
, where the Archer family had land holdings. The present day town of Eidsvold
was named for the nearby property. The other, named Coonambula, was south of Eidsvold on St John Creek, a tributary of the Burnett River.
Near the site of Eidsvold Station is present day Tolderodden Conservation Park. The Archer connection to this name lies in the fact that Colin Archer was born in a house named Tollerodden, in Norway.
Although not on the Burnett River, Maryborough
was the main port for the Burnett region, particularly for the export of wool. One of the houses of St Mary's College, Maryborough
is named Archer in honour of the contribution of the pioneering family to the Burnett region.
, Governor of the Colony of New South Wales
. They explored the river valley and marked proposed boundaries for a new run before returning to the Burnett region. In 1855 the brothers took up the run on the Fitzroy River, naming it Gracemere Station in honour of Thomas Archer's bride, Grace, whom he had married in Scotland
in 1853. Gracemere homestead was built in 1858, overlooking a shallow lagoon variously known as Padgole, Farris, and Gracemere. The present day town of Gracemere
was named for the station.
In 1860 Archibald Archer joined his brothers at Gracemere. At first both cattle and sheep were raised, but in the early 1870s the station switched entirely to cattle. The city of Rockhampton
now stands on part of the original Gracemere run.
Mount Archer National Park
, is based on Mount Archer
, near Rockhampton. The mountain was named in honour of Charles and William Archer, who had named the Berserker
Range and Mount Sleipner
(both names derived from Norse mythology
) in 1853.
and Archer Rd. With satellite imaging enabled, a tree-lined drive can be observed opposite Archer Rd. This extends west for about 2,000 metres to the Gracemere homestead buildings, on the eastern shore of the lagoon.
Thomas Archer was Agent-General for Queensland from 1881 to 1884 and from 1888 to 1890. He was appointed C.M.G. in 1884. While serving as Agent-General he published pamphlets designed to foster interest in Queensland.
Colin Archer was the first to sail a vessel up the Fitzroy River to the present site of Rockhampton. She was the Ellida (another name derived from Norse mythology - see here
) a ketch of about twelve tons.
He was met by Charles, riding his horse Sleipner, on 1 September 1855. This event is commemorated by a statue of horse and rider on the river bank in Rockhampton.
In later life he became a successful shipbuilder in Norway, where he built the Fram
, the ship in which Fridtjof Nansen
made the successful exploration of the North Polar Sea
in 1893 - 1896.
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
. They were explorers and pastoralists. Seven sons of William Archer, a Scottish
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
timber merchant, they spent varying amounts of time in the colony of New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, mainly in parts of what later became Queensland. A substantial number of locations in Queensland were either named by or for them. They were, in order of birth:
| Name | Birth - Death | In Australia | Other Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charles Archer | 1813 - 1862 | 1841 - ?? | Died in Norway |
| John Archer | 1814 - 1857 | 1841 - ?? | Returned to his occupation as a sailor - lost at sea |
| David Archer | 1816 - 1900 | 1834 - 1852 | Did not return to Australia |
| William Archer | 1818 - 1896 | 1838 - ?? | |
| Archibald Archer | 1820 - 1902 | 1860 - ?? | Became a member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly Queensland Legislative Assembly The Queensland Legislative Assembly is the unicameral chamber of the Parliament of Queensland. Elections are held approximately once every three years. Voting is by the Optional Preferential Voting form of the Alternative Vote system... in 1867 |
| Thomas Archer Thomas Archer (pastoralist) Thomas Archer CMG was a pioneer pastoralist and Agent General for Queensland .-Early life:Archer was the son of William Archer and his wife Julia née Walker and was born in Glasgow, Scotland. When aged three years he was taken to Larvik, Norway, where his parents lived for the rest of their lives... |
1823 - 1905 | 1838 - 1849, 1854 - 1855, 1872 - 1880 | Became Agent-General for Queensland in 1881. Appointed C.M.G in 1884 |
| Colin Archer Colin Archer Colin Archer was a Norwegian naval architect and shipbuilder from Larvik, Norway. His parents emigrated from Scotland to Norway in 1825.... |
1832 - 1921 | 1854 - ?? | Became a successful shipbuilder in Norway |
Brisbane River valley
The first of the Archer brothers to settle in Australia was David, who arrived in Sydney in 1834. He was joined by William and Thomas in 1838. Together, they planned to seek pastoral land on the Darling Downs. Delays meant they would be too late to secure good land, so this venture did not proceed. In 1841 David and Thomas, joined by their brother John, travelled to the upper reaches of the Stanley RiverStanley River (Queensland)
The Stanley River in Queensland is the main tributary of the Brisbane River. The Stanley River valley extends roughly 35 km westwards from the area south of Maleny to Kilcoy before veering southwards....
, an eastern tributary of the Brisbane River
Brisbane River
The Brisbane River is the longest river in south east Queensland, Australia, and flows through the city of Brisbane, before emptying into Moreton Bay. John Oxley was the first European to explore the river who named it after the Governor of New South Wales, Thomas Brisbane in 1823...
. There, near present day Woodford
Woodford, Queensland
Woodford is a small town in Queensland, Australia, on the D'Aguilar Highway 72 km north-west of Brisbane and 24 km west of Caboolture. Its Local Government Area is the Moreton Bay Region. The town is noted for its folk festival that takes place over the New Year holidays. The Woodford...
, they established Durundur Station, a holding of 200 square miles (518 km²), which is equal to 128000 acre (51,800 ha). Durundur is an aboriginal name for the Moreton Bay Ash (Eucalyptus tessellaris
Corymbia tessellaris
Corymbia tessellaris , Carbeen, Moreton Bay Ash, Black Butt.A Ghost gum tree ranging from small to 35 m. tall, forming a lignotuber. Bark rough on lower 1–4 m of trunk, tessellated, dark grey to black, abruptly changing to white-cream smooth bark above that is sometimes powdery...
) The Archer name is seen in the main street of Woodford, and in Mount Archer about 12 kilometres (7 mi) to the west.
Charles Archer arrived in Australia in 1841, and joined his brothers at Durundur in 1843. He was accompanied by the explorer Ludwig Leichhardt
Ludwig Leichhardt
Friedrich Wilhelm Ludwig Leichhardt, known as Ludwig Leichhardt, was a Prussian explorer and naturalist, most famous for his exploration of northern and central Australia.-Early life:...
, who stayed at Durundur for several months until early 1844. The country at Durundur proved unsuitable for sheep, leading the brothers to take up two runs further west in 1845. One of these was Cooyar, a holding of 71660 acre (29,000 ha) on Cooyar Creek, a western tributary of the Brisbane River, near present day Cooyar
Cooyar, Queensland
Cooyar is a town in the Darling Downs region of Queensland, Australia. The town is on the New England Highway and in the Toowoomba Local Government area, north west of the state capital, Brisbane. At the 2006 census, Cooyar and the surrounding area had a population of 289.- External links :*...
, 90 kilometres (55.9 mi) north of Toowoomba
Toowoomba, Queensland
Toowoomba is a city in Southern Queensland, Australia. It is located west of Queensland's capital city, Brisbane. With an estimated district population of 128,600, Toowoomba is Australia's second largest inland city and its largest non-capital inland city...
, on the New England Highway
New England Highway
The New England Highway is a highway in Australia running from Hexham near Newcastle at its southern end to Yarraman near Toowoomba at its northern end. At its southern end it connects to the Pacific Highway and at its northern end it connects to the D'Aguilar Highway. It traverses the Hunter...
. The other was Emu Creek, a holding of 32000 acre (12,950 ha) on Emu Creek, another western tributary of the Brisbane River.
Burnett region
In 1847, Thomas Archer travelled west to the area called Fitzroy Downs by the explorer Thomas Mitchell, near present day RomaRoma, Queensland
Roma is a town in the western Darling Downs area of Queensland, Australia, by rail WNW of Brisbane. It is situated at the junction of the Warrego and Carnarvon highways...
, but did not take up any land. In 1848 he travelled north to the Burnett region, which led to two runs being taken up on the Burnett River
Burnett River
The Burnett River is a river in central Queensland, Australia that empties into the Pacific Ocean near the city of Bundaberg. The Burnett River region is largely given over to growing sugar cane....
in the names of David and Thomas Archer. One of these was named Eidsvold, after Eidsvoll
Eidsvoll
is a municipality in Akershus county, Norway. It is part of the Romerike traditional region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Sundet.-Name:...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, where the Archer family had land holdings. The present day town of Eidsvold
Eidsvold, Queensland
Eidsvold is a small town in the North Burnett region of Queensland, Australia. It is situated on the Burnett Highway approximately north of the state capital, Brisbane. The town is the self-proclaimed Beef Capital of the Burnett and is a hub for the regional cattle industry...
was named for the nearby property. The other, named Coonambula, was south of Eidsvold on St John Creek, a tributary of the Burnett River.
Near the site of Eidsvold Station is present day Tolderodden Conservation Park. The Archer connection to this name lies in the fact that Colin Archer was born in a house named Tollerodden, in Norway.
Although not on the Burnett River, Maryborough
Maryborough, Queensland
Maryborough is a city located on the Mary River in South East Queensland, Australia, approximately north of the state capital, Brisbane. The city is serviced by the Bruce Highway, and has a population of approximately 22,000 . It is closely tied to its neighbour city Hervey Bay which is...
was the main port for the Burnett region, particularly for the export of wool. One of the houses of St Mary's College, Maryborough
St Mary's College, Maryborough
St Mary's College Maryborough is a co-educational secondary school in Maryborough, Queensland, Australia.- History :Originally called the Christian Brothers College, Maryborough, Saint Mary's College is a parish school which comprises the amalgamated schools of the Christian Brothers College,...
is named Archer in honour of the contribution of the pioneering family to the Burnett region.
Fitzroy River
In 1853, Charles and William Archer were the first Europeans to discover the Fitzroy River, which they named in honour of Sir Charles FitzRoyCharles Augustus FitzRoy
Sir Charles Augustus FitzRoy, KCH, KCB was a British military officer, politician and member of the aristocracy, who held governorships in several British colonies during the 19th century.-Family and peerage:...
, Governor of the Colony of New South Wales
Governors of New South Wales
The Governor of New South Wales is the state viceregal representative of the Australian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, who is equally shared with 15 other sovereign nations in a form of personal union, as well as with the eleven other jurisdictions of Australia, and resides predominantly in her...
. They explored the river valley and marked proposed boundaries for a new run before returning to the Burnett region. In 1855 the brothers took up the run on the Fitzroy River, naming it Gracemere Station in honour of Thomas Archer's bride, Grace, whom he had married in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
in 1853. Gracemere homestead was built in 1858, overlooking a shallow lagoon variously known as Padgole, Farris, and Gracemere. The present day town of Gracemere
Gracemere, Queensland
Gracemere is a town located on the Capricorn Highway in Central Queensland, Australia, approximately 9 kilometres west of the city of Rockhampton. Because of the proximity of the town to Rockhampton, Gracemere has become a dormitory town, with many residents commuting the short distance to work in...
was named for the station.
In 1860 Archibald Archer joined his brothers at Gracemere. At first both cattle and sheep were raised, but in the early 1870s the station switched entirely to cattle. The city of Rockhampton
Rockhampton, Queensland
Rockhampton is a city and local government area in Queensland, Australia. The city lies on the Fitzroy River, approximately from the river mouth, and some north of the state capital, Brisbane....
now stands on part of the original Gracemere run.
Mount Archer National Park
Mount Archer National Park
Mount Archer is a national park in Queensland, Australia, 522 km northwest of Brisbane. It makes up the backdrop to the city of Rockhampton which marks the start of Tropical Queensland....
, is based on Mount Archer
Mount Archer
Mount Archer is a mountain located in Central Queensland, Australia.The mountain is high, and forms part of the Berserker Range. The Mount Archer National Park surrounds the mountain. Mount Archer is located within the boundaries of the city of Rockhampton...
, near Rockhampton. The mountain was named in honour of Charles and William Archer, who had named the Berserker
Berserker
Berserkers were Norse warriors who are reported in the Old Norse literature to have fought in a nearly uncontrollable, trance-like fury, a characteristic which later gave rise to the English word berserk. Berserkers are attested in numerous Old Norse sources...
Range and Mount Sleipner
Sleipnir
In Norse mythology, Sleipnir is an eight-legged horse. Sleipnir is attested in the Poetic Edda, compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources, and the Prose Edda, written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson...
(both names derived from Norse mythology
Norse mythology
Norse mythology, a subset of Germanic mythology, is the overall term for the myths, legends and beliefs about supernatural beings of Norse pagans. It flourished prior to the Christianization of Scandinavia, during the Early Middle Ages, and passed into Nordic folklore, with some aspects surviving...
) in 1853.
Gracemere in Google Maps
Google Maps shows the central point of Gracemere as the intersection of Gavial Gracemere Rd and Platen St. About 1,000 metres to the north is the intersection of Capricorn HighwayCapricorn Highway
The Capricorn Highway is located in Central Queensland, Australia, and links the city of Rockhampton with western Queensland. The highway is approximately 560 kilometres long, and joins the Landsborough Highway at Barcaldine...
and Archer Rd. With satellite imaging enabled, a tree-lined drive can be observed opposite Archer Rd. This extends west for about 2,000 metres to the Gracemere homestead buildings, on the eastern shore of the lagoon.
Other details
Archibald Archer was a member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly from 1867 to 1869, and from 1879 to 1895. He served as colonial treasurer and minister for education from 1882 to 1883.Thomas Archer was Agent-General for Queensland from 1881 to 1884 and from 1888 to 1890. He was appointed C.M.G. in 1884. While serving as Agent-General he published pamphlets designed to foster interest in Queensland.
Colin Archer was the first to sail a vessel up the Fitzroy River to the present site of Rockhampton. She was the Ellida (another name derived from Norse mythology - see here
Viking (Norse Mythology)
Viking is the name of the son of Vífil and Eimyrja in Þorsteins saga Víkingssonar. Viking is the father of Thorsten and Thorer.The two daughters of Logi were stolen away by suitors to nearby islands. Viking was a son of one of these daughters. He grew up in Bornholm. By the time he was 15, he is...
) a ketch of about twelve tons.
He was met by Charles, riding his horse Sleipner, on 1 September 1855. This event is commemorated by a statue of horse and rider on the river bank in Rockhampton.
In later life he became a successful shipbuilder in Norway, where he built the Fram
Fram
Fram is a ship that was used in expeditions of the Arctic and Antarctic regions by the Norwegian explorers Fridtjof Nansen, Otto Sverdrup, Oscar Wisting, and Roald Amundsen between 1893 and 1912...
, the ship in which Fridtjof Nansen
Fridtjof Nansen
Fridtjof Wedel-Jarlsberg Nansen was a Norwegian explorer, scientist, diplomat, humanitarian and Nobel Peace Prize laureate. In his youth a champion skier and ice skater, he led the team that made the first crossing of the Greenland interior in 1888, and won international fame after reaching a...
made the successful exploration of the North Polar Sea
North Polar Basin
The North Polar Basin is an oceanic basin in the Arctic Ocean, consisting of two main parts, the Amerasian Basin and the Eurasian Basin , which are separated by the Lomonosov Ridge, a mid-ocean ridge running between north Greenland and the New Siberian Islands...
in 1893 - 1896.
Further reading
- R.S.Kerr (1988) Confidence and Tradition. A History of the Esk Shire
- Gracemere State School, (1971) Centenary souvenir, 1871-1971, Gracemere
- McDonald, Lorna, 1916-, (1999) Over earth and ocean : the Archers of Tolderodden and Gracemere: a Norse-Australian saga 1819-1965, Queensland: University of Queensland Press, Central Queensland University Press