Robert Herbertson (1852–1940) was a politician in
Queensland
Queensland ( , commonly abbreviated as Qld) is a States and territories of Australia, state in northeastern Australia, and is the second-largest and third-most populous state in Australia. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Austr ...
, Australia. He was a Member of the
Queensland Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly of Queensland is the sole chamber of the unicameral Parliament of Queensland established under the Constitution of Queensland. Elections are held every four years and are done by full preferential voting. The Assembly h ...
.
Early life
Robert Herberston was born on 4 January 1852 in
Hobart
Hobart ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the island state of Tasmania, Australia. Located in Tasmania's south-east on the estuary of the River Derwent, it is the southernmost capital city in Australia. Despite containing nearly hal ...
,
Van Diemen's Land
Van Diemen's Land was the colonial name of the island of Tasmania during the European exploration of Australia, European exploration and colonisation of Australia in the 19th century. The Aboriginal Tasmanians, Aboriginal-inhabited island wa ...
, the son of Andrew Herbertson and Christiana (née Stewart).
His father was a horticulturalist and Superintendent of the Government Gardens, later the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens, under Sir
John Franklin
Sir John Franklin (16 April 1786 – 11 June 1847) was a British Royal Navy officer, explorer and colonial administrator. After serving in the Napoleonic Wars and the War of 1812, he led two expeditions into the Northern Canada, Canadia ...
, (a
Governor of Tasmania
The governor of Tasmania is the representative in the Australian state of Tasmania of the monarch, currently King Charles III. The incumbent governor is Barbara Baker, who was appointed in June 2021. The official residence of the governor is Gov ...
). His mother was attendant to Lady
Jane Franklin
Jane, Lady Franklin (née Griffin; 4 December 1791 – 18 July 1875) was a British explorer, seasoned traveller and the second wife of the English explorer Sir John Franklin. During her husband's period as Lieutenant-Governor of Van Diemen's L ...
and accompanied Lady Franklin on travels to South Australia, New Zealand and Macquarie Harbour. Herbertson was educated in Hobart.
At age 17 he went to the
Colony of Victoria
The Colony of Victoria was a historical administrative division in Australia that existed from 1851 until 1901, when it federated with other colonies to form the Commonwealth of Australia. Situated in the southeastern corner of the Australian ...
to try his luck on the
goldfields. Later he went to Melbourne, where after managing a brick and tile company, he became a public works contractor.
In 1878–1879 he was one of ten expeditioners who undertook an ill-fated search for gold in
New Guinea
New Guinea (; Hiri Motu: ''Niu Gini''; , fossilized , also known as Papua or historically ) is the List of islands by area, world's second-largest island, with an area of . Located in Melanesia in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, the island is ...
; he maintained a diary throughout the trip.
Acting upon medical advice, he came to Queensland, and for a time ran a hotel in Gladstone. He also was a mining investor and a sawmiller.
Politics
Herbertson took a keen interest in local affairs and was for some years an alderman of
Gladstone
William Ewart Gladstone ( ; 29 December 1809 – 19 May 1898) was a British politican, starting as Conservative MP for Newark and later becoming the leader of the Liberal Party (UK), Liberal Party.
In a career lasting over 60 years, he ...
and served as mayor for one term. He was also a member of the
Calliope Shire Council, where he was twice chairman.
Herbertson was elected to the Queensland Legislative Assembly on 27 August 1904 as the Member for
Port Curtis
Port Curtis is a suburb of Rockhampton in the Rockhampton Region, Queensland, Australia. In the , Port Curtis had a population of 309 people.
Geography
The Fitzroy River bounds the suburb to the north-east. Gavial Creek, a tributary of the ...
. He held the seat until 2 October 1909, when he was defeated by
Edward Breslin
Edward Denis Joseph Breslin (10 March 1882 – 26 August 1914) was a member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly.
Biography
Breslin was born in Brisbane, Queensland, the son of Cornelius Connell Breslin and his wife Ellen (née Gallagher). H ...
.
Later life
Herbertson died on 1 March 1940 in
Ormiston
Ormiston is a village in East Lothian, Scotland, near Tranent, Humbie, Pencaitland and Cranston, located on the north bank of the River Tyne at an elevation of about .
The village was the first planned village in Scotland, founded in 173 ...
, Queensland where he had lived for many years. He was 88 years old.
References
Further reading
* – diary of the New Guinea expedition
{{DEFAULTSORT:Herbertson, Robert
Members of the Queensland Legislative Assembly
1852 births
1940 deaths
People from the Colony of Victoria
People from Redland City
Sawmillers