William Buchanan (pastoralist)
Encyclopedia
William Frederick Buchanan (21 June 1824 – 2 May 1911) was an Australian pastoralist and gold prospector.
Buchanan was born in Dublin to Lieutenant Charles Henry Buchanan and Annie White. On 16 January 1837 the Statesman arrived in Sydney Harbour with the Buchanans and their five sons (also including Nathaniel
) on board. Settling in Scone
(then called Invermein), William and his father leased a cattle run in the New England
area in 1839 and he later took control of the family properties. He prospected for gold in Gippsland
before following one of the first rushes to Ophir
in 1851; despite finding little success, he returned to New England struck by the similarity of the landscape to the gold-rich Gippsland area. Buchanan was proved correct and by 1856 the gold rush had extended to northern New South Wales.
In 1853 he relinquished his property to instead run several cattle runs on the Castlereagh River
. By 1866 he had several runs near Coonamble
and acquired an illustrious reputation. He was involved in trade with Britain and in 1882 moved to Narrabri
, running sheep rather than cattle; he also took on leases in the Northern Territory
. By this stage he was extremely wealthy and he and his brothers owned vast swathes of territory in New South Wales and the Territory. He became a life member of the Royal Colonial Institute in 1886, and after a tour of Europe
wrote Australia to the Rescue (1890) in an attempt to remedy the lack of knowledge about Australia he had encountered. Outside his pastoral interests he served as a magistrate from 1857. He had married Laura Eliza Connell on 31 January 1857, with whom he had five children. He is considered one of the most important Australian pastoral pioneers.
Buchanan was born in Dublin to Lieutenant Charles Henry Buchanan and Annie White. On 16 January 1837 the Statesman arrived in Sydney Harbour with the Buchanans and their five sons (also including Nathaniel
Nathaniel Buchanan
Nathaniel Buchanan was an Australian pioneer pastoralist, drover and explorer.-Early life:Buchanan was born near Dublin, and was of Scottish descent the son of Lieutenant Charles Henry Buchanan, and his wife Annie, née White...
) on board. Settling in Scone
Scone, New South Wales
Scone is a town in the Upper Hunter Shire in the Hunter Valley region of New South Wales, Australia. At the 2006 census, Scone had a population of 4,624 people. It is located on the New England Highway north of Muswellbrook about 270 kilometres north of Sydney, and is part of the Hunter and Upper...
(then called Invermein), William and his father leased a cattle run in the New England
New England (Australia)
New England or New England North West is the name given to a generally undefined region about 60 kilometres inland, that includes the Northern Tablelands and the North West Slopes regions in the north of the state of New South Wales, Australia.-History:The region has been occupied by Indigenous...
area in 1839 and he later took control of the family properties. He prospected for gold in Gippsland
Gippsland
Gippsland is a large rural region in Victoria, Australia. It begins immediately east of the suburbs of Melbourne and stretches to the New South Wales border, lying between the Great Dividing Range to the north and Bass Strait to the south...
before following one of the first rushes to Ophir
Ophir, New South Wales
Ophir is the name of a locality in New South Wales, Australia in Cabonne Shire.Ophir is located near the Macquarie River northeast of the city of Orange...
in 1851; despite finding little success, he returned to New England struck by the similarity of the landscape to the gold-rich Gippsland area. Buchanan was proved correct and by 1856 the gold rush had extended to northern New South Wales.
In 1853 he relinquished his property to instead run several cattle runs on the Castlereagh River
Castlereagh River
The Castlereagh River is located in the State of New South Wales, Australia. The river rises in the heart of the Warrumbungle mountains and initially flows east through the town of Coonabarabran...
. By 1866 he had several runs near Coonamble
Coonamble, New South Wales
Coonamble is a town on the central-western plains of New South Wales, Australia. It lies on the Castlereagh Highway north-west of Gilgandra. At the 2006 census, Coonamble had a population of 2,549...
and acquired an illustrious reputation. He was involved in trade with Britain and in 1882 moved to Narrabri
Narrabri, New South Wales
Narrabri is a town and seat of Narrabri Shire Council Local Government Area in the North West Slopes, New South Wales, Australia. Narrabri is situated on the Namoi River and lies northwest of Sydney. It sits on the junction of the Kamilaroi Highway and the Newell Highway...
, running sheep rather than cattle; he also took on leases in the Northern Territory
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...
. By this stage he was extremely wealthy and he and his brothers owned vast swathes of territory in New South Wales and the Territory. He became a life member of the Royal Colonial Institute in 1886, and after a tour of Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
wrote Australia to the Rescue (1890) in an attempt to remedy the lack of knowledge about Australia he had encountered. Outside his pastoral interests he served as a magistrate from 1857. He had married Laura Eliza Connell on 31 January 1857, with whom he had five children. He is considered one of the most important Australian pastoral pioneers.