NationMaster - Encyclopedia: John Forrest, 1st Baron Forrest of Bunbury

John Forrest, 1st Baron Forrest of Bunbury, PC, GCMG (22 August 1847–2 September 1918), commonly known as Sir John Forrest, was an Australian explorer, the first premier of Western Australia and a cabinet minister in Australia's first federal parliament. Image File history File links This image shows a photograph of John Forrest, taken and published circa 1898. ... Image File history File links This image shows a photograph of John Forrest, taken and published circa 1898. ... A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a nation, especially in a monarchy. ... On the Orders insignia, St Michael is often depicted subduing Satan. ... Jump to: navigation, search August 22 is the 234th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (235th in leap years), with 131 days remaining. ... 1847 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... September 2 is the 245th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (246th in leap years). ... Jump to: navigation, search 1918 was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ... The Premier of Western Australia is the head of the executive government in the Australian State of Western Australia. ...

As a young man, John Forrest won fame as an explorer by leading three expeditions into the interior of Western Australia. He was appointed surveyor-general and in 1890 became the first premier of Western Australia, its only premier as a self-governing colony. Forrest's premiership gave the state ten years of stable administration during a period of rapid development and demographic change. He pursued a policy of large-scale public works and extensive land settlement, and he helped to ensure that Western Australia joined the federation of Australian states. After federation, he moved to federal politics, where he was at various times postmaster-general, minister for defence, minister for home affairs, treasurer and acting prime minister. Shortly before his death, he became the first native-born Australian to be raised to the British peerage, when he was appointed 1st Baron Forrest of Bunbury. Jump to: navigation, search Motto: Cygnis Insignis (Distinguished by its swans) Nickname: Wildflower State Other Australian states and territories Capital Perth Government Governor Premier Const. ... 1890 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... The Premier of Western Australia is the head of the executive government in the Australian State of Western Australia. ... A self-governing colony is a colony with an elected legislature, in which politicians are able to make most decisions without reference to the colonial power with formal or nominal control of the colony. ... The Federation of Australia was the process by which the six separate British colonies of New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia federated on 1 January 1901, to form the Commonwealth of Australia, of which they became component states. ... List of Australian Ministers for Defence (see Australian Defence Force, Royal Australian Navy, Australian Army, and Royal Australian Air Force. ... The Department of the Treasury, Canberra The Australian Treasurer is the minister responsible for government expenditure and revenue raising. ... The current (25th) Prime Minister of Australia, John Howard (sitting, fifth from left), with his Cabinet, 1999 The office of Prime Minister is in practice the most powerful political office in the Commonwealth of Australia. ... The Peerage is a system of titles of nobility which exists in the United Kingdom and is one part of the British honours system. ...

Early Years and Family Life

John Forrest was born on 22 August 1847 at Preston Point near Bunbury in what was then the British colony of Western Australia. Among his many brothers were Alexander Forrest and David Forrest. John Forrest attended the government school in Bunbury until the age of thirteen, when he was sent north to Perth to attend the Bishop’s Collegiate School, now Hale School. In November 1863, he was apprenticed to a government land surveyor named Thomas Carey. When his term of apprenticeship ended in November 1865, he became the first man born and educated in the colony to qualify as a land surveyor. He then commenced work as a surveyor with the government's Lands and Surveys Department. Jump to: navigation, search August 22 is the 234th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (235th in leap years), with 131 days remaining. ... 1847 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... The port of Bunbury is the third-largest city in Western Australia and is situated 175 kilometres south of Perth, the state capital. ... Jump to: navigation, search Motto: Cygnis Insignis (Distinguished by its swans) Nickname: Wildflower State Other Australian states and territories Capital Perth Government Governor Premier Const. ... Alexander Forrest, illustrated in John Forrests 1875 Explorations in Australia Alexander Forrest (1849 - 1901) was an explorer and surveyor of Western Australia. ... Jump to: navigation, search Perth is the capital city of Western Australia. ... Jump to: navigation, search Hale School is the oldest boysâ€™ school in Western Australia. ... 1863 is a common year starting on Thursday. ... Thomas Campbell Carey (1832 or 1833â€“4 September 1884) was the surveyor to whom John and Alexander Forrest were apprenticed, and was later a Member of the Western Australian Legislative Council. ... Jump to: navigation, search 1865 is a common year starting on Sunday. ...

On 29 February 1876, Forrest married Margaret Elvire Hamersley. The Hamersleys were a very wealthy family, and Forrest gained substantially in wealth and social standing from the marriage. However, to their great disappointment the marriage was childless. Jump to: navigation, search February 29 is the 60th day of a leap year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 306 days remaining. ... 1876 is a leap year starting on Saturday. ... Lady Margaret Forrest (October 22, 1844â€“June 13, 1929), was the wife of John Forrest, 1st Baron Forrest of Bunbury. ... The Hamersley family were a wealthy and well-connected family of early settlers in the colony of Western Australia. ...

Forrest the Explorer

From 1869 to 1874, Forrest led three expeditions into the uncharted land surrounding the colony of Western Australia. In 1869, he led a fruitless search for the explorer Ludwig Leichhardt, in the desert west of the site of the present-day town of Leonora. The following year, he surveyed Edward John Eyre's land route from Perth to Adelaide. In 1874, he led a party to the watershed of the Murchison River, and then east through the unknown desert centre of Western Australia. Forrest published an account of his expeditions, Explorations in Australia, in 1875. In 1882, He was made a CMG by Queen Victoria for his services in exploring the interior. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1000x775, 200 KB)This image shows the routes of the three exploring expeditions of John Forrest. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1000x775, 200 KB)This image shows the routes of the three exploring expeditions of John Forrest. ... Jump to: navigation, search 1869 is a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... Jump to: navigation, search 1874 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... Jump to: navigation, search 1869 is a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... Jump to: navigation, search Portrait of Ludwig Leichhardt Friedrich Wilhelm Ludwig Leichhardt (October 23, 1813 - 1848?) was a Prussian explorer and naturalist of Sorb descent. ... Leonora is a town in the Goldfields-Esperance region of Western Australia. ... Edward John Eyre (5 August 1815 - 30 November 1901). ... Jump to: navigation, search Adelaide is the capital city of the Australian state of South Australia. ... Jump to: navigation, search 1874 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... Location of the Murchison River The Murchison River is the second longest river in Western Australia. ... 1875 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... 1882 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... On the Orders insignia, St Michael is often depicted subduing Satan. ... Jump to: navigation, search Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria) (24 May 1819 â€“ 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837, and Empress of India from 1 January 1877 until her death. ...

The search for Leichhardt

In March 1869, Forrest was asked to lead an expedition in search of the explorer Ludwig Leichhardt, who had been missing since April 1848. A few years earlier, a party of Aborigines had told the explorer Charles Hunt of a place where a group of white men had been murdered by Aborigines a long time ago, and some time afterwards an Aboriginal tracker named Jemmy Mungaro had corroborated their story and claimed to have personally been to the location. Since it was thought that these stories might refer to Leichhardt's party, Forrest was asked to lead a party to the site, with Mungaro as their guide, and there to search for evidence of Leichhardt's fate. Jump to: navigation, search 1869 is a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... Jump to: navigation, search Portrait of Ludwig Leichhardt Friedrich Wilhelm Ludwig Leichhardt (October 23, 1813 - 1848?) was a Prussian explorer and naturalist of Sorb descent. ... 1848 is a leap year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Australian Aborigines are the main indigenous people of Australia. ...

Forrest assembled a party of six, including the Aboriginal trackers Mungaro and Tommy Windich, and they left Perth on 15 April 1869. They headed in a north-easterly direction, passing through the colony's furthermost sheep station on 26 April. On 6 May, they encountered a group of Aborigines who offered to guide the party to a place where there were many skeletons of horses. Forrest's team accompanied this group in a more northerly direction, but after a week of travelling it became clear that their destination was Poison Rock, where the explorer Robert Austin was known to have left eleven of his horses for dead in 1854. They then turned once more towards the location indicated by their guide. Tommy Windich (c. ... Jump to: navigation, search April 15 is the 105th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (106th in leap years). ... Jump to: navigation, search 1869 is a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... Jump to: navigation, search April 26 is the 116th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (117th in leap years). ... May 6 is the 125126th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (127th in leap years). ... Poison Rocks, historically known as Poison Rock, is a place in Western Australia. ... Jump to: navigation, search 1854 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ...

The team arrived in the location to be searched on 28 May. They then spent almost three weeks surveying and searching an area of about 15,000 km² in the desert west of the site of the present-day town of Leonora. Having found no evidence of Leichhardt's fate, and Mungaro having changed his story and admitted that he had not personally visited the site, they decided to push as far eastwards as they could on their remaining supplies. The expedition reached its furthest point east on 2 July, near the present-day site of the town of Laverton. They then turned for home, returning by a more northerly route and arriving back in Perth on 6 August. May 28 is the 148th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (149th in leap years). ... Leonora is a girls name, originating from the Greek word for light. Other meanings: Leonora was the original title of Beethovens opera, Fidelio, in which the heroine is named Leonora (or Leonore in German). ... Jump to: navigation, search July 2 is the 183rd day of the year (184th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 182 days remaining. ... Laverton is a town and shire in the Goldfields-Esperance region of Western Australia. ... August 6 is the 218th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (219th in leap years), with 147 days remaining. ...

They had been absent for 113 days, and had travelled, by Forrest's reckoning, over 3600 kilometres (2000 miles), most of it through uncharted desert. They had found no sign of Leichhardt, and the country over which they travelled was useless for farming. However, Forrest did report that his compass had been affected by the presence of minerals in the ground, and he suggested that the government send geologists to examine the area. Ultimately, the expedition achieved very little, but it was of great personal advantage to Forrest, whose reputation with his superiors, and in the community at large, was greatly enhanced.

The Bight crossing

Later that year, Forrest was selected to lead an expedition that would survey a land route along the Great Australian Bight between the colonies of South Australia and Western Australia. The explorer Edward John Eyre had achieved such a crossing thirty years earlier, but his expedition had been poorly planned and equipped, and Eyre had nearly perished from lack of water. Forrest's expedition would follow Eyre's route, but it would be thoroughly planned and properly resourced. Also, the recent discovery of safe anchorages at Israelite Bay and Eucla would permit Forrest's team to be reprovisioned along the way by a chartered schooner. Forrest's brief was to provide a proper survey of the route, which might be used in future to establish a telegraph link between the colonies, and also to assess the suitability of the land for pasture. The Great Australian Bight is a large bight, or open bay, encompassing an area of the Southern Ocean located off the central and western portions of the southern coastline of mainland Australia. ... Jump to: navigation, search Motto: United for the Common Wealth Nickname: Festival State Other Australian states and territories Capital Adelaide Government Governor Premier Const. ... Jump to: navigation, search Motto: Cygnis Insignis (Distinguished by its swans) Nickname: Wildflower State Other Australian states and territories Capital Perth Government Governor Premier Const. ... Edward John Eyre (5 August 1815 - 30 November 1901). ... Eucla is the easternmost town in Western Australia. ...

Forrest's team consisted of six men including his brother Alexander and the tracker Windich, 16 horses and a number of dogs. The party left Perth on 30 March 1870, and arrived at Esperance on 24 April. Heavy rain fell for much of this time. After resting and reprovisioning, the party left Esperance on 9 May and arrived at Israelite Bay nine days later. They had encountered very little feed for their horses, and no permanent water, but managed to obtain sufficient rain water from rock water-holes. After reprovisioning, the team left for Eucla on 30 May. Again they encountered very little feed and no permanent water, and this time the water they obtained from rock water-holes was not sufficient. They were compelled to dash more than 240 kilometres (150 miles) to a spot where Eyre had found water in 1841. Having secured a water source, they rested and explored the area before moving on, eventually reaching Eucla on 2 July. At Eucla they rested and reprovisioned, and also explored inland, where they found good pasture land. On 14 July, the team started the final leg of their expedition through unsettled country: from Eucla to the nearest South Australian station. During this last leg almost no water could be found, and the team were compelled to travel day and night for nearly five days. They saw their first signs of civilisation on 18 July, and eventually reached Adelaide on 27 August. A week later they boarded ship for Western Australia, arriving in Perth on 27 September. Alexander Forrest, illustrated in John Forrests 1875 Explorations in Australia Alexander Forrest (1849 - 1901) was an explorer and surveyor of Western Australia. ... Jump to: navigation, search Perth is the capital city of Western Australia. ... March 30 is the 89th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (90th in Leap years). ... 1870 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... Esperance is a town in Western Australia, located on the south coast around half-way between Albany and the South Australian border. ... Jump to: navigation, search April 24 is the 114th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (115th in leap years). ... Jump to: navigation, search May 9 is the 129th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (130th in leap years). ... Jump to: navigation, search May 30 is the 150th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (151st in leap years). ... 1841 is a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... Jump to: navigation, search July 2 is the 183rd day of the year (184th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 182 days remaining. ... Jump to: navigation, search July 14 is the 195th day (196th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 170 days remaining. ... Jump to: navigation, search July 18 is the 199th day (200th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 166 days remaining. ... August 27 is the 239th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (240th in leap years), with 126 days remaining. ... Jump to: navigation, search September 27 is the 270th day of the year (271st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 95 days remaining. ...

Forrest's bight crossing was one of the best organised and managed expeditions of his time. As a result, his party successfully completed in five months a journey that had taken Eyre twelve, arriving in good health and without the loss of a single horse. From that point of view, the expedition must be considered a success. However, the tangible results were not great. They had not travelled far from Eyre's track, and although a large area was surveyed, only one small area of land suitable for pasture was found.

Across the interior

In August of 1872 Forrest was invited to lead a third expedition, this time from Geraldton to the source of the Murchison River, and then east through the uncharted centre of Western Australia, to the overland telegraph line from Darwin to Adelaide. The purpose was to discover the nature of the unknown centre of Western Australia, and to find new pastoral land. Jump to: navigation, search 1872 was a leap year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... Geraldton (28Â°46â€² S 114Â°36â€² E) is a town in Western Australia located 424 km north of Perth. ... Location of the Murchison River The Murchison River is the second longest river in Western Australia. ... Jump to: navigation, search Darwin is the capital city of the Northern Territory, and is a city of 108,039 people on Australias far north-western coastline. ... Jump to: navigation, search Adelaide is the capital city of the Australian state of South Australia. ...

Forrest's team again consisted of six men including his brother Alexander and Windich. They also had 20 horses and food for eight months. The team left Geraldton on 1 April 1874, and a fortnight later passed through the colony's outermost station. On 3 May the team passed into completely unknown land. They found plenty of good pastoral land around the headwaters of the Murchison River, but by late May they were travelling over arid land. On 2 June, while dangerously short of water, they discovered Weld Springs, "one of the best springs in the colony" according to Forrest. At Weld Springs on 13 June the party was attacked by a large group of Aborigines, and Forrest was compelled to shoot a number of them. Beyond Weld Springs water was extremely hard to obtain, and by 4 July the team were relying on occasional thunderstorms for water. By 2 August, the team was critically short of water; a number of horses had been abandoned, and Forrest's journal indicates that the team had little confidence of survival. A few days later they were rescued by a shower of rain. On 23 August they were again critically short of water and half of their horses were near death, when they were saved by the discovery of Elder Springs. After this, the land became somewhat less arid, and the risk of dying from thirst started to abate. Other difficulties continued, however: they had to abandon more of their horses, and one member of the team suffered from scurvy and could barely walk. They finally sighted the telegraph line near Mt Alexander on 27 September, and reached Peake Telegraph Station three days later. The remainder of the journey was a succession of triumphant public receptions as they passed through each country town en route to Adelaide. They team reached Adelaide on 3 November 1874, more than six months after they started from Geraldton. Jump to: navigation, search April 1 is the 91st day of the year (92nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 274 days remaining. ... Jump to: navigation, search 1874 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... Jump to: navigation, search May 3 is the 123rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (124th in leap years). ... 2 June is the 153rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (154th in leap years), with 212 days remaining. ... Jump to: navigation, search June 13 is the 164th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (165th in leap years), with 201 days remaining. ... Jump to: navigation, search July 4 is the 185th day of the year (186th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 180 days remaining. ... August 2 is the 214th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (215th in leap years), with 151 days remaining. ... Jump to: navigation, search August 23 is the 235th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (236th in leap years), with 130 days remaining. ... Jump to: navigation, search September 27 is the 270th day of the year (271st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 95 days remaining. ... Jump to: navigation, search November 3 is the 307th day of the year (308th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 58 days remaining. ... Jump to: navigation, search 1874 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ...

From an exploration point of view, Forrest's third expedition was of great importance. A large area of previously unknown land was explored, and the popular notion of an inland sea was shown to be unlikely. However the practical results were not great. Plenty of good pastoral land was found up to the head of the Murchison, but beyond that the land was useless for pastoral enterprise, and Forrest was convinced that it would never be settled.

In 1875, Forrest published "Explorations in Australia", an account of his three expeditions. In July 1876, he was awarded the Founder's Gold Medal of the Royal Geographical Society of London. He was made a CMG by Queen Victoria in 1882 for his services in exploring the interior. 1875 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... 1876 is a leap year starting on Saturday. ... The Royal Geographical Society is a learned society, founded in 1830 with the name Geographical Society of London for the advancement of geographical science, under the patronage of King William IV. It absorbed the Association for Promoting the Discovery of the Interior Parts of Africa (founded by Joseph Banks in... On the Orders insignia, St Michael is often depicted subduing Satan. ... Jump to: navigation, search Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria) (24 May 1819 â€“ 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837, and Empress of India from 1 January 1877 until her death. ... 1882 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ...

Premier John Forrest

Forrest was an outstanding surveyor, and his successful expeditions had made him a popular public figure as well. Consequently, he was promoted rapidly through the ranks of the Lands and Surveys Department, and in January 1883 he succeeded Malcolm Fraser to the positions of surveyor-general and commissioner of crown lands. This was one of the most powerful and responsible positions in the colony, and it accorded him a seat on the colony's Executive Council. At the same time, Forrest was nominated to the colony's Legislative Council. After Britain ceded to Western Australia the right to self-rule in 1890, Forrest was elected unopposed to the seat of Bunbury in the Legislative Assembly. On 22 December 1890, Governor William Robinson appointed Forrest the first Premier of Western Australia. In May of the following year, he was made a KCMG for his services to the colony. January is the first month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of seven Gregorian months with the length of 31 days. ... 1883 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... Sir Malcolm Fraser (1834â€“17 August 1900) CMG, KCMG was an important public servant in colonial Western Australia in the 1870s and 1880s. ... The Surveyor General of Western Australia is the person nominally responsible for government surveying in Western Australia. ... The Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of parliament in the Australian state of Western Australia. ... The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of parliament in the Australian state of Western Australia. ... Jump to: navigation, search December 22 is the 356th day of the year (357th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1890 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... Sir William Cleaver Francis Robinson was Governor of Western Australia from 1875 to 1877, from 1880 to 1883 and from 1890 to 1895. ... The Premier of Western Australia is the head of the executive government in the Australian State of Western Australia. ... On the Orders insignia, St Michael is often depicted subduing Satan. ...

The Forrest ministry immediately embarked on a program of large-scale public works funded by loans raised in London. Public works were greatly in demand at the time, because of the British government's reluctance to approve public spending in the colony. Under the direction of the brilliant engineer C. Y. O'Connor, many thousands of miles of railway were laid, and many bridges, jetties, lighthouses and town halls were constructed. The two most ambitious projects were the Fremantle Harbour Works, one of the few public works of the 1890s which is still in use today; and the Coolgardie Goldfields Water Scheme, one of greatest engineering feats of its time, in which the Helena River was dammed and the water piped over 550 kilometres (330 miles) to Kalgoorlie. Forrest's public works program was generally well received, although on the Eastern Goldfields where the rate of population growth and geographical expansion far outstripped the government's ability to provide works, Forrest was criticised for not doing enough. He invited further criticism in 1893 with his infamous "spoils to the victors" speech, in which he appeared to assert that members who opposed the government were putting at risk their constituents' access to their fair share of public works. The Forrest ministry was the first government ministry in Western Australia, after the inauguration of responsible government. ... Jump to: navigation, search The clock tower of the Palace of Westminster, which contains Big Ben London is the capital city of the United Kingdom and of England. ... C. Y. OConnor Charles Yelverton OConnor (1842- d. ... Location of Fremantle, Western Australia Fremantle (32Â°03â€²15â€³ S 115Â°44â€²53â€³ E) is a city located within the Perth metropolitan area on Australias western coast, at the mouth of the Swan River, 19 kilometres southwest of Perths Central Business District. ... The 1890s were sometimes referred to as the Mauve Decade, because William Henry Perkins aniline dye allowed the widespread use of that colour in fashion, and also as the Gay Nineties, under the then-current usage of the word gay which referred simply to merriment and frivolity, with no... Kalgoorlie is a large Western Australian mining town located about 600 km east of Perth. ... Jump to: navigation, search 1893 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ...

Forrest's government also implemented a number of social reforms, including measures to improve the status of women, young girls and wage-earners. However, although Forrest did not always oppose proposals for social reform, he never instigated or championed them. Critics have therefore argued that Forrest deserves little credit for the social reforms achieved under his premiership. On political reform, however, Forrest's influence was unquestionable. In 1893, Forrest guided through parliament a number of significant amendments to the Constitution of Western Australia, including an extension of the franchise to all men regardless of property ownership. Jump to: navigation, search 1893 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ...

The major political question of the time, though, was federation. Forrest was in favour of federation, and felt that it was inevitable, but he also felt that Western Australia should not join until it obtained fair terms. He was heavily involved in the framing of the Australian Constitution, representing Western Australia at a number of meetings on federation, including the National Australasian Conventions in Sydney in 1891 and in Adelaide in 1897, and the Australasian Federal Conventions in Sydney in 1897 and in Melbourne in 1898. He fought hard to protect the rights of the less populous states, arguing for a strong upper house organised along state lines. He also argued for a number of concessions to Western Australia, and for the building of a trans-Australian railway. Although he was largely unsuccessful in his endeavours, by 1900 he was convinced that better terms were not to be obtained, and he called the referendum in which Western Australians voted to join the federation. The Federation of Australia was the process by which the six separate British colonies of New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia federated on 1 January 1901, to form the Commonwealth of Australia, of which they became component states. ... The Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act 1900 (in full, An Act to constitute the Commonwealth of Australia) is the primary constitutional text of the Commonwealth of Australia. ... Jump to: navigation, search Sydney is the capital city of the Australian state of New South Wales and Australias largest and oldest city (founded in 1788). ... Jump to: navigation, search 1891 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... Jump to: navigation, search Adelaide is the capital city of the Australian state of South Australia. ... Jump to: navigation, search 1897 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Jump to: navigation, search 1897 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Jump to: navigation, search Melbourne is the capital and largest city of the state of Victoria, and the second largest city in Australia (after Sydney), with a population of 3. ... Jump to: navigation, search 1898 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... 1900 is a common year starting on Monday. ...

In Federal Politics

On 30 December 1900 Forrest accepted the position of postmaster-general in Edmund Barton's federal government. Two days later he received news that he had been made a GCMG. Forrest was postmaster-general for only seventeen days; he resigned the position to take up the defence portfolio, which had been made vacant by the death of Sir James Dickson. On 13 February 1901, he resigned as premier of Western Australia and member for Bunbury. In the first federal election, held on 29 March 1901, he was elected unopposed, on a moderate protectionist platform, to the federal House of Representatives seat of Swan. Forrest held the defence portfolio for over two years. After a cabinet reshuffle on 7 August 1903, he became minister for home affairs. Jump to: navigation, search December 30 is the 364th day of the year (365th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 1 day remaining. ... 1900 is a common year starting on Monday. ... Rt Hon Edmund Barton Sir Edmund Barton (18 January 1849 â€“ 7 January 1920), Australian politician and judge, was the first Prime Minister of Australia and a founding justice of the High Court of Australia. ... On the Orders insignia, St Michael is often depicted subduing Satan. ... List of Australian Ministers for Defence (see Australian Defence Force, Royal Australian Navy, Australian Army, and Royal Australian Air Force. ... Sir James Robert Dickson (30 November 1832 - 10 January 1901), Australian politician, was Premier of Queensland and a member of the first federal ministry. ... Jump to: navigation, search February 13 is the 44th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Jump to: navigation, search 1901 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... March 29 is the 88th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (89th in Leap years). ... Jump to: navigation, search 1901 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... Protectionism is the economic policy of promoting favored domestic industries through the use of high tariffs and other regulations to discourage imports. ... Australian House of Representatives chamber Entrance to the House of Representatives The Australian House of Representatives is one of the two houses (chambers) of the Parliament of Australia. ... The Division of Swan is an Australian Electoral Division located in Western Australia. ... Jump to: navigation, search August 7 is the 219th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (220th in leap years), with 146 days remaining. ... Jump to: navigation, search 1903 has the latest occurring solstices and equinoxes for 400 years, because the Gregorian calendar hasnt had a leap year for seven years or a century leap year since 1600. ...

The federal election of 16 December 1903 greatly weakened the governing party, and shortly afterwards it was defeated and replaced by a Labor government under Chris Watson. Forrest moved to the crossbenches, where he has a scathing critic of the Labour government's policies and legislation. After George Reid's Free Trade Party took office in August 1904, he remained on the crossbenches but largely supported the government. In June 1905, Alfred Deakin's Protectionist Party formed an alliance with Labor and ejected Reid's government. They formed a new government on 7 July, with Forrest appointed treasurer, and fifth in seniority. After a ministerial reshuffle in October 1906, Forrest became third in cabinet precedence. Five months later, Deakin and his deputy William Lyne travelled to London to attend conferences, and Forrest was appointed acting prime minister from 18 March to 27 June 1907. December 16 is the 350th day of the year (351st in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... Jump to: navigation, search 1903 has the latest occurring solstices and equinoxes for 400 years, because the Gregorian calendar hasnt had a leap year for seven years or a century leap year since 1600. ... Hon Chris Watson John Christian Watson (9 April 1867(exact date uncertain) - 18 November 1941), Australian politician and third Prime Minister of Australia, usually known as Chris Watson, was born in ValparaÃso, Chile, probably on April 9, 1867. ... Rt Hon George Reid George Houstoun Reid (25 February 1845 â€“ 12 September 1918), Australian politician and fourth Prime Minister of Australia, was born in Johnstone, Renfrewshire, Scotland, son of a Church of Scotland minister, migrated to Victoria with his family as a child. ... The Free Trade Party was a political party in Australia from the 1880s until 1909. ... Jump to: navigation, search 1904 is a leap year starting on a Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... Jump to: navigation, search 1905 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Hon Alfred Deakin Alfred Deakin (3 August 1856 â€“ 7 October 1919 ), Australian politician, was a leader of the movement for Australian federation and later second Prime Minister of Australia. ... The Protectionist Party was a political party in Australia from the 1880s until 1909. ... July 7 is the 188th day of the year (189th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 177 days remaining. ... The Department of the Treasury, Canberra The Australian Treasurer is the minister responsible for government expenditure and revenue raising. ... Jump to: navigation, search 1906 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... Sir William John Lyne (6 April 1844 - 3 August 1913), Australian politician, was Premier of New South Wales and a member of the first federal ministry. ... Jump to: navigation, search The clock tower of the Palace of Westminster, which contains Big Ben London is the capital city of the United Kingdom and of England. ... The current (25th) Prime Minister of Australia, John Howard (sitting, fifth from left), with his Cabinet, 1999 The office of Prime Minister is in practice the most powerful political office in the Commonwealth of Australia. ... Jump to: navigation, search March 18 is the 77th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (78th in leap years). ... Jump to: navigation, search June 27 is the 178th day of the year (179th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 187 days remaining. ... 1907 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ...

The alliance with Labor had put Forrest in a difficult position, for he had been consistently critical and even hostile towards them. Leading up to the federal election of 12 December 1906, he continued to attack the Labor party, despite sharing government with them and depending on their support. In the following months, Forrest was himself heavily criticised in the press for his willingness to work with the Labor Party, and his perceived hypocrisy in attacking them during election campaigns while depending on their support when cabinet was in session. He began to feel that his reputation in Western Australia and his personal standing in cabinet were being undermined. In response, he resigned as treasurer on 30 July 1907 and joined the crossbenches, where he was a critic of, but did not strongly oppose, the government. Jump to: navigation, search December 12 is the 346th day (347th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Jump to: navigation, search 1906 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... July 30 is the 211th day (212th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 154 days remaining. ... 1907 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ...

A few months later, Labor withdrew its support for Deakin's government, forcing it to resign. Labor then formed government under Andrew Fisher. In the following months, Forrest and a number of other members worked to arrange a fusion of the Free Trade and Protectionist parties into a single party. Eventually, the Commonwealth Liberal Party was formed, with Deakin as leader. Fisher was then forced to resign, and the new Liberal Party took office on 2 June 1909, with Forrest as treasurer. Labor eventually reclaimed office in the federal election of April 1910. Rt Hon Andrew Fisher Andrew Fisher (29 August 1862 - 22 October 1928), Australian politician and fifth Prime Minister of Australia, was born in Crosshouse, a mining village near Kilmarnock in Ayrshire, Scotland. ... The Commonwealth Liberal Party, usually called The Fusion, was a political movement active in Australia shortly after federation. ... 2 June is the 153rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (154th in leap years), with 212 days remaining. ... 1909 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Jump to: navigation, search 1910 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ...

Early in 1913, Deakin resigned as Leader of the Opposition. Forrest and Joseph Cook contested the leadership, with Cook winning by a single vote. Forrest was very disappointed, as Deakin, whom he considered a friend, had voted against him. Five months later, in the federal election of May 1913, the Liberal Party returned to power, with Cook as Prime Minister. Forrest was appointed treasurer for the third time. However, the government's majority of just one seat in the House of Representatives, along with Labor's large majority in the Senate, made it extremely difficult to govern, and very little was achieved. In June 1914, Cook asked the Governor-General for a double dissolution, and Australia was sent back to the polls. Forrest retained his seat, but the Liberal Party was soundly beaten, and Forrest was again relegated to the crossbenches. Jump to: navigation, search 1913 is a common year starting on Wednesday. ... The Official Australian Opposition is referred to simply as The Opposition; the title Her Majestys Loyal Opposition, used in some other Commonwealth Realms, rarely appears in Australia. ... Rt Hon Joseph Cook Sir Joseph Cook (7 December 1860 - 30 July 1947), Australian politician and sixth Prime Minister of Australia, was born in Silverdale, a small mining town near Newcastle-under-Lyme in Staffordshire, England. ... Jump to: navigation, search 1913 is a common year starting on Wednesday. ... Jump to: navigation, search 1914 is a common year starting on Thursday. ... Jump to: navigation, search Michael Jeffery, Governor-General of Australia The Governor-General of Australia is the representative in Australia of Australias head of the state, Queen Elizabeth II, the Queen of Australia, who lives in the United Kingdom. ... Image:Ac. ...

In December 1916, a split in the Labor Party over conscription left Prime Minister Billy Hughes with a minority government. Hughes and his colleagues formed the National Labor Party, and the Liberal Party joined with them in the formation of a new government. For the fourth time, Forrest was appointed treasurer. The Nationalist and Liberal Parties easily won a majority at the federal election of May 1917, and shortly afterwards the two parties merged to form the Nationalist Party of Australia. Jump to: navigation, search 1916 is a leap year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar) // Events January-February January 1 -The first successful blood transfusion using blood that had been stored and cooled. ... Rt Hon Billy Hughes William Morris Billy Hughes (September 25, 1862 - October 28, 1952), Australian politician, was the seventh Prime Minister of Australia, the longest-serving member of the Australian Parliament, and one of the most colourful figures in Australian political history. ... The National Labor Party was the name used by the Australian Prime Minister Billy Hughes for himself and his followers after they were expelled from the Australian Labor Party in November 1916 over the issue of conscription for World War I. In February 1917 the National Labor group merged with... Jump to: navigation, search 1917 was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar. ... The Nationalist Party of Australia was an Australian political party formed in 1917 from a merger of pro-conscription members of the Labor Party (who had been operating under the banner National Labor after their earlier split with the Labor party) with the Commonwealth Liberal Party. ...

On 20 December, a referendum on conscription was defeated, and Hughes kept a promise to resign as prime minister if the referendum was lost. Forrest immediately declared himself a candidate for the position, but the governor-general found that Forrest did not have the numbers, and asked Hughes to form government again. Hughes accepted and the previous government was again sworn in. Jump to: navigation, search December 20 is the 354th day of the year (355th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

On 6 February 1918, Forrest was informed that he had been raised to the British peerage as Baron Forrest of Bunbury in the Commonwealth of Australia and of Forret in Fife in the United Kingdom. He was the first native-born Australian to be made a peer. Jump to: navigation, search February 6 is the 37th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... Jump to: navigation, search 1918 was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ...

Forrest had been suffering from a cancer on his temple since early in 1917 and by 1918 he was very ill. He resigned as treasurer but not from parliament on 21 March 1918, and shortly afterwards boarded ship for London, where he hoped to obtain specialist medical attention. He also hoped to be able to take his seat in the House of Lords. But on 2 September 1918, with his ship off the coast of Sierra Leone, he died. He was buried there, but his remains were later brought back to Western Australia and interned in Karrakatta Cemetery. Jump to: navigation, search 1917 was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar. ... Jump to: navigation, search 1918 was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ... Jump to: navigation, search March 21 is the 80th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (81st in leap years). ... Jump to: navigation, search 1918 was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ... Jump to: navigation, search This article is about the British House of Lords. ... September 2 is the 245th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (246th in leap years). ... Jump to: navigation, search 1918 was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ...

Forrest's character

John Forrest was a tall, heavily built man; in his later years, he tended towards stoutness, and he weighed about 120 kilograms when he died. He was fond of pomp and ceremony, and insisted on being treated with respect at all times. Highly sensitive to criticism, he hated having his authority challenged, and tended to browbeat his political opponents. He had very little sense of humour, being greatly offended when a journalist playfully referred to him as the Commissioner for Crown Sands. He was, however, a very popular figure, who treated everyone he met with politeness and dignity. He was renowned for his memory for names and faces, and for his prolific letter writing.

References

Jump to: navigation, search David Black (born 1936) is a Western Australian historian. ... Jump to: navigation, search Geoffrey Curgenven Bolton, Officer of the Order of Australia (born 1931) is an Australian historian. ... Jump to: navigation, search 2001: A Space Odyssey. ... The Parliament of Western Australia consists of the Governor of Western Australia, the Western Australian Legislative Council and the Western Australian Legislative Assembly. ... The Premier of Western Australia is the head of the executive government in the Australian State of Western Australia. ... George Throssell, from the Western Australian Government Photographer Collection The Hon. ... Sir George Turner (8 August 1851 - 12 August 1916), Australian politician, was Premier of Victoria and a member of the first federal ministry. ... The Department of the Treasury, Canberra The Australian Treasurer is the minister responsible for government expenditure and revenue raising. ... Sir William John Lyne (6 April 1844 - 3 August 1913), Australian politician, was Premier of New South Wales and a member of the first federal ministry. ... Rt Hon Andrew Fisher Andrew Fisher (29 August 1862 - 22 October 1928), Australian politician and fifth Prime Minister of Australia, was born in Crosshouse, a mining village near Kilmarnock in Ayrshire, Scotland. ... The Department of the Treasury, Canberra The Australian Treasurer is the minister responsible for government expenditure and revenue raising. ... Rt Hon Andrew Fisher Andrew Fisher (29 August 1862 - 22 October 1928), Australian politician and fifth Prime Minister of Australia, was born in Crosshouse, a mining village near Kilmarnock in Ayrshire, Scotland. ... Rt Hon Andrew Fisher Andrew Fisher (29 August 1862 - 22 October 1928), Australian politician and fifth Prime Minister of Australia, was born in Crosshouse, a mining village near Kilmarnock in Ayrshire, Scotland. ... The Department of the Treasury, Canberra The Australian Treasurer is the minister responsible for government expenditure and revenue raising. ... Rt Hon Andrew Fisher Andrew Fisher (29 August 1862 - 22 October 1928), Australian politician and fifth Prime Minister of Australia, was born in Crosshouse, a mining village near Kilmarnock in Ayrshire, Scotland. ... Jump to: navigation, search The Honourable Alexander Poynton, OBE, (8 August 1853 - 9 January 1941), was an Australian pioneer and politician. ... The Department of the Treasury, Canberra The Australian Treasurer is the minister responsible for government expenditure and revenue raising. ... William Alexander Watt (1871â€“1946), Australian political figure. ...

Categories: 1847 births | 1918 deaths | Australian explorers | Australian Cabinet ministers | Buried in Karrakatta Cemetery | Colonial Secretaries of Western Australia | Commonwealth Liberal Party politicians | Explorers of Australia | Explorers of Western Australia | History of Western Australia | Members of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly | Members of the Western Australian Legislative Council | Barons in the Peerage of the United Kingdom | Premiers of Western Australia | Protectionist Party politicians | Surveyors General of Western Australia The Premier of Western Australia is the head of the executive government in the Australian State of Western Australia. ... File links The following pages link to this file: Flag of Western Australia John Forrest, 1st Baron Forrest of Bunbury George Leake Newton Moore Flags of the Australian states and territories Wikipedia:Australian Wikipedians notice board Template:WesternAustraliaPremiers Categories: Flag images | Australia images ... George Throssell, from the Western Australian Government Photographer Collection The Hon. ... George Leake, from the Western Australian Government Photographer Collection The Hon. ... Alf Morgans, from the Western Australian Government Photographer Collection Alfred Edward Morgans (17 February 1850–10 August 1933) was premier of Western Australia for just 32 days, from 21 November to 23 December 1901. ... Walter James, from the Western Australian Government Photographer Collection The Hon. ... Henry Daglish, from the Western Australian Government Photographer Collection The Hon. ... Sir Cornthwaite Hector Rason, from the Western Australian Government Photographer Collection The Hon. ... Sir Newton Moore, from the Western Australian Government Photographer Collection Major-General Hon. ... Jump to: navigation, search Frank Wilson, from the Western Australian Government Photographer Collection Hon. ... John Scaddan, from the Western Australian Government Photographer Collection Hon. ... Henry Lefroy, from the Western Australian Government Photographer Collection Hon. ... Hal Colebatch, from the Western Australian Government Photographer Collection Hon. ... His Excellency Hon. ... Sir David Brand (1912-1979), Premier of Western Australia (1959-1971), Member of the Legislative Assembly (1945-1975). ... The Honourable Sir Charles Court, AK was Premier of Western Australia between 1974 and 1982. ... Raymond James OConnor (born 1926) was the Liberal Party Premier of Western Australia from January 25, 1982 until February 25, 1983. ... Brian Burke was premier of Western Australia from 19 February 1983 until his resignation on 25 February 1988. ... Peter Dowding was premier of Western Australia from 25 February 1988 until his resignation on 12 February 1990. ... Dr Carmen Lawrence Dr Carmen Mary Lawrence (born 2 March Australian politician, became the first directly elected Federal President of the Australian Labor Party in 2003, after a meteoric rise in politics followed by several spectacular falls. ... Richard Court was Liberal Party Premier of Western Australia between 1993 and 2001. ... Dr. Geoffrey Ian Gallop (born 27 September 1951) has been the Premier of Western Australia since 2001. ...

Contents

Early Years and Family Life GA_googleFillSlot("encyclopedia_square");