Queensland Surveyors General
The position of Queensland Surveyor General was created in 1859 when Queensland became a state and separated from New South Wales. Queensland’s first Surveyor General was Augustus Charles Gregory. The position of Surveyor General was abolished in 1993.
Queensland’s Surveyors General were:
- Augustus Charles Gregory 1859–1875
- William Alcock Tully 1875–1889
- William Montgomery Davenport Davidson 1889–1891
- Archibald McDowall 1891–1902
- Allan Alfred Spowers 1902–1926
- Frank Beresford Campbell-Ford 1927–1929
- John Percival Harvey 1929–1959
- Eric Douglas Mellor 1959–1961
- Torleif Hein 1961–1964
- William Barcham 1965–1966
- Alec Barr Yeates 1966–1975
- John Macquarie Serisier 1975–1982
- Kevin John Davies 1982–1990
- Neil Graham Divett 1990–1993
Sir Augustus Charles Gregory
Surveyor General
1859–1875
Birth
1819 in Nottinghamshire
Death
1905
Service
- Surveyor General 1859–1875
- In charge of the Lands Department 1859–1866
- Government Geologist for Southern Queensland 1875–1878
Professional memberships
- Foundation President Queensland Institute of Surveyors
- Foundation President Queensland Branch of the Royal Geographical Society
- Companion of the Order of St. Michael and St. George 1874
- Appointed to the Legislative Council 1882
- President of the Australian Society for the Advancement of Science 1895
- Knight of the Order of St. Michael and St. George 1903
Notable achievements
- Arrived in Australia 1829.
- Carried out surveys and explorations in Western Australia from 1841 to 1854.
- Led the North Australia Expedition 1855.
- Received the Gold Medal of the Royal Geographical Society for the North Australia Expedition.
- Led an expedition in search of Leichhardt in 1858.
- Queensland's first Surveyor General 1859–1875.
Read more about the life and profession of Sir Augustus Charles Gregory.
William Alcock Tully
Surveyor General
1875–1889
Birth
1830 in Dublin
Education
Graduated B.A. 1852
Service
- Inspecting Surveyor Tasmanian Department of Lands and Survey 1852
- Commissioner for Lands, Queensland 1863
- Chief Commissioner 1866
- Under Secretary for Lands 1866
- Acting Surveyor General 1875–1880
- Surveyor General 1880–1889
Notable achievements
- Initiated system of astronomic and trigonometric control of mapping.
William Montgomery Davenport Davidson
Surveyor General
1889–1891
Birth
1830 in Surrey
Education
- Moravian Establishment in Yorkshire
- Stockton Grammar School
- Diplomate of the College of Civil Engineers
Service
- Inspecting Surveyor, Tasmania 1852
- District Surveyor for Wide Bay 1868
- Deputy Surveyor General 1875
- Surveyor General 1889–1891
Notable achievements
- Came to Queensland in 1861 at the invitation of A.C. Gregory.
- Introduced simultaneous and identical examinations for Surveyors in Queensland and New South Wales as a step towards reciprocity.
Archibald McDowall
Surveyor General
1891–1902
Birth
1841 in Victoria
Education
Campbelltown Grammar School
Service
- District Surveyor and Inspector of Surveys 1866
- Surveyor General 1891–1902
Professional memberships
- Chairman Board of Examiners 1892
- President of the revived Queensland Institute of Surveyors 1900
Notable achievements
- Introduced the use of steel tapes to Queensland 1877.
- In charge of base-line measurements at Jondaryan 1883.
- Largely responsible for the County Arbitrary Meridian System 1899.
- Initiated the planting of kauri pine forests on K’gari (formerly Fraser Island).
Allan Alfred Spowers
Surveyor General
1902–1926
Birth
1857 in Victoria
Death
1937
Registered as a surveyor
1881
Education
Educated in Melbourne
Service
- Staff Surveyor 1885
- Chief Surveyor 1902
- Surveyor General 1902–1926
Professional memberships
- Chairman Associated Surveyors' Boards of Australia
Notable achievements
- Represented Chairman Associated Surveyors' Boards of Australia at the London Conference of Empire Surveyors General 1911.
Frank Beresford Campbell-Ford
Surveyor General
1927–1929
Birth
1851 in Victoria
Education
- Matriculated 1865
- Studied engineering at Melbourne University (took up surveying when his health failed)
- Passed Board examination with credit 1885
Service
- Staff Surveyor 1907
- Deputy Surveyor General 1916
- Acting Surveyor General 1927–1929
John Percival Harvey
Surveyor General
1929–1959
Birth
1892 in Mount Morgan
Registered as a surveyor
1917
Education
Bachelor of Surveying (Honorary) University of Queensland
Service
- Staff Surveyor 1923
- Deputy Surveyor General 1926
- Surveyor General 1929–1959
War service
- Served with the AIF 1917–1919
Professional memberships
- State Survey Liaison Officer 1940–1946
- Fellow of the Institution of Surveyors
- Chairman Recess Committee of the Reciprocating Surveyors Boards
Eric Douglas Mellor
Surveyor General
1959–1961
Birth
1894 in Brisbane
Registered as a surveyor
1917
Service
- Staff Surveyor 1923
- Deputy Surveyor General 1954
- Acting Surveyor General 1959–1961
War service
- Served with the AIF 1916–1919
- Director War Service Settlement Branch 1946–1954
Professional memberships
- Fellow of the Institution of Surveyors
Notable achievements
- Pioneered the use of W/T time signals for longitude determination in Queensland.
Torleif Hein
Surveyor General
1961–1964
Birth
1898 in Norway, came to Australia 1899
Registered as a surveyor
1922
Service
- Staff Surveyor 1935
- Deputy Surveyor General 1959
- Surveyor General 1961–1964
War service
- Second in the Duntroon Entrance Examination
- Reached the rank of 2nd Lieutenant before being discharged medically unfit 1917
Professional memberships
- Chairman Reciprocating Surveyors Boards
- Fellow of the Institution of Surveyors
William Barcham
Surveyor General
1965–1966
Registered as a surveyor
1924
Service
- Computer and Examiner (Survey Office) 1924
- Chief Computer 1951
- Deputy Surveyor General 1959
- Surveyor General 1965–1966
Alec Barr Yeates
Surveyor General
1966–1975
Registered as a surveyor
1937
Service
- Main Roads Surveyor 1937–1947
- City Surveyor, Toowoomba 1947–1965
- Deputy Surveyor General 1965
- Acting Surveyor General 1966–1967
- Surveyor General 1968–1975
War service
- Captain, Survey Corps 1940–1946
Professional memberships
- President Queensland Division, Institute of Surveyors, Australia (I.S.A.) 1964
- President Australian Planning Institute (Queensland Division) 1966–1967 and 1967–1968
John Macquarie Serisier
Surveyor General
1975–1982
Birth
1922 in Ipswich
Death
1997
Registered as a surveyor
1951
Service
- Surveyor Division 1 1951
- Staff Surveyor 1957
- Senior Staff Surveyor 1961
- Project Surveyor 1962
- Surveyor General 1975–1982
Professional memberships
- President Queensland Division of Institute of Cartographers (A.I.C.) 1964
- Fellow of A.I.C.
- Foundation member of Institute of Surveyors, Australia (I.S.A.)
- Vice President Queensland Division of I.S.A. 1966
- President Queensland Division of I.S.A. 1967
- Vice President of I.S.A. 1976–1978
- President of I.S.A. 1981
- Honorary Fellow of I.S.A.
Kevin John Davies
Surveyor General
1982–1990
Birth
1937
Death
2012
Registered as a surveyor
1959
Service
- Private survey practice 1960–1978
- Deputy Director, Department of Mapping and Surveying 1978
- Deputy Surveyor General
- Surveyor General 1982–1990
- Director General, Department of Geographic Information
- Director General, Department Public Works and Housing
Professional memberships
- Inaugural Chairman Association of Consulting Surveyors Queensland
- President Queensland Division of Institute of Surveyors, Australia (I.S.A.)
- President of I.S.A.
- Fellow of I.S.A.
Neil Graham Divett
Surveyor General
1990–1993
Birth
1935 in Brisbane
Death
2011
Registered as a surveyor
1957
Service
- Surveyor, Commonwealth Department of Interior 1957
- Senior/Supervising Surveyor, Australian Survey Office 1964
- Director of Surveys, Department of Mapping and Surveying 1982
- Assistant Surveyor General
- Deputy Surveyor General
- Assistant Director General (Information)
- Surveyor General 1990–1993
Professional memberships
- Vice President Institute of Surveyors, Australia (I.S.A.) 1984
- Vice President Queensland Division of I.S.A. 1985
- President Queensland Division of I.S.A. 1986
- Honorary Fellow of I.S.A.
- Member of Land Court 1997–2005
Notable achievements
- Last serving Surveyor General before the position was abolished in 1993.
References
Reilly, SE 1970, The profession of surveying in Queensland, Institution of Surveyors, Australia (Queensland Division), Brisbane.
Related links
- Read about Queensland’s historical surveying history.
- Learn about Queensland’s historical surveying processes.
- View images of instruments and equipment used to survey and map Queensland.
- Watch videos featuring aspects of the surveying and mapping history of Queensland.