John Mackay (Australian pioneer)

John Mackay ( born March 26, 1839 in Inverness, Scotland, † March 11, 1914 in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia ) was an explorer, sailor and harbourmaster. The place Mackay in Queensland is named after him.

Early life

John Mackay was the son of George Mackay, a farmer, and his wife Ann, née Munro. At the school he went to the Free Church Academy in Inverness. John Mackay left Scotland in 1854 on a ship to Melbourne. A year later he and his family went to New South Wales. There he grew up on his father's farm between Armidale and Uralla.

1859 Mackay was looking at Rocky River at Armidale to Gold. The gold rush was over 1860.

Explorer

John Mackay in 1860 led an expedition into unknown territory in the north of Armindale. In January 1860 he and his his expedition team left this place in and arrived in Rockhampton on March 2. Mackay led the expedition in search of arable land along the Isaac River. They found an area that was suitable for cattle breeding, which corresponds to today's Mackay region. Mackay and another explorer also found a pass route, which leads through the Clarke Range.

Late life

John Mackay's discoveries found in Australia little recognition, so he wanted to explore New Guinea. Implement this plan did not succeed. From 1883 to 1889, he was appointed harbor master of Cooktown. In 1883 he married Marion, nee McLennon, in Cookstown, with whom he had two sons and two daughters. From 1892 to 1902 he was harbor master in Brisbane. In 1902 he was appointed Chief Executive of the Queensland Marine Board. From 1912 he was employed as postmaster. He died in 1914 and was buried in Balmoral Cemetery, Brisbane.