Alexander Collie
Dr Alexander Collie | |
---|---|
Born | King George Sound | 2 June 1793
Nationality | Scottish |
Occupation(s) | Surgeon and botanist |
Known for | Journeyed to Western Australia |
Relatives | Alexander and Christina Collie |
Medical career | |
Profession | Explorer and Colonial Surgeon |
Dr Alexander Collie (2 June 1793 – 8 November 1835) was a Scottish surgeon and
Early life
Collie was born in
Career
He sailed on the frigate Doris to Tenerife, China and the East Indies, before returning to Europe to study botany, mineralogy and chemistry. In 1824 he was a surgeon on board HMS Blossom and travelled to Africa, Brazil, Chile, the Sandwich Islands, California, Kamchatka Peninsula, Taiwan and Mexico.[1]
Collie was ship's surgeon on
They arrived at Rottnest Island on 3 June 1829, upon which Collie started working in a hospital tent on Garden Island. He studied botany in his free time. He received 1,500 acres (610 ha) of land on the banks of the Swan River.[1]
He and Lieutenant William Preston explored the southwest of Western Australia, discovering two rivers that Lieutenant-Governor Stirling named after them: Collie River and Preston River. In 1830 he investigated the conditions on the Peel estate. He reported that the estate's manager, Thomas Peel, was incompetent, which led to government assistance for the settlers.[1]
In 1831, Collie was allotted 500 acres (200 ha) of land in
The graves of both Collie and Mokare were disturbed during the construction of the Albany Town Hall in 1887. Collie's remains were interred at Pioneer Cemetery in Albany.[1]
Legacy in Australia
The town of Collie and Collie River are named in his honour in Western Australia, with a granite monolith erected for him in Collie.[1] The dedication on the monument reads
"To ALEXANDER COLLIE R.N. Physician, Explorer, and Administrator, Who discovered and named the Collie River November 23rd, 1829.
Erected by the Municipal Council of Collie November 23rd, 1935".[2]
Collie Street in Fremantle is also named in his honour.[3]
Scientific Legacy
A
The Australian
Botanists
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h Cohen, B.C. (1966). "Collie, Alexander (1793–1835)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Retrieved 1 February 2009.
- ^ "Alexander Collie, Monument". Monument Australia. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
- ^ "Nomenclature of Streets". The West Australian. Vol. XXV, no. 7, 169. Western Australia. 17 March 1909. p. 9. Retrieved 17 January 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
- ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. ("Collie", p. 57).
- ^ Ray Desmond (Editor) Dictionary Of British And Irish Botanists And Horticulturists Including ..., p. 160, at Google Books
Further reading
- Chessell, Gwen (2008). Alexander Collie: Colonial Surgeon, Naturalist and Explorer. ISBN 978-0-9802965-3-2.