Anthelme Thozet
Encyclopedia
Anthelme Thozet was a French-Australian botanist and ethnographer.
His naturalisation in Rockhampton, Queensland
9 January 1862, states that he was born at Belley
(L'Ain) east of Lyon in France about 1827, and his obituary (Queenslander
Jun 8, 1878 p302d) depicts him as a political refugee following the 1848-51 revolt in France. He migrated to Australia New South Wales
some time prior to 1856 and resided initially in Sydney where he was working as a gardener at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney
before being drawn to Rockhampton by the Canoona gold rush.
He was a publican in 1862 but driven by a never failing professional interest in botany he commenced researching native Australian plants
used by indigenous
people of Northern Queensland
, Australia
including the Darambal clans around Rockhampton where he came to be recogniced as a botantist. In 1866 he published Notes on Some of the Roots, Tubers, Bulbs and Fruits Used as Vegetable Food by the Aboriginals of Northern Queensland, Australia, W H Buzacott, Rockhampton. This pamphlet includes a description of midamo, a mixture of mangrove
roots and berries made by baking the root of the common mangrove
(Avicennia Tomentosa) called Egaie by the tribes of Cleveland Bay
, and Tagon–Tagon by those of Rockhampton.
Thozet was the first director of the Rockhampton Botanic Gardens founded in 1861 and was known to supply plant and seed specimens to other botanists and Botanical Gardens, including Ferdinand von Mueller
of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne
. Following his resignation from the Rockhampton Botanic Gardens, Thozet established his own plant nursery
in North Rockhampton on 66 acres (267,092.8 m²) which are today bounded by Thozet Creek, Thozet Road, Rockonia Road and Lakes Creek Road.
A building at the Primary Industries Research Centre (Plant Sciences Group) at Central Queensland University
at Rockhampton is named in his honour. A creek and a road in Rockhampton also bear his name.
His naturalisation in Rockhampton, Queensland
Rockhampton, Queensland
Rockhampton is a city and local government area in Queensland, Australia. The city lies on the Fitzroy River, approximately from the river mouth, and some north of the state capital, Brisbane....
9 January 1862, states that he was born at Belley
Belley
Belley is a commune in the Ain department in eastern France.-History:Belley is of Roman origin, and in the 5th century became an episcopal see. It was the capital of the province of Bugey, which was a dependency of Savoy till 1601, when it was ceded to France...
(L'Ain) east of Lyon in France about 1827, and his obituary (Queenslander
The Queenslander
The Queenslander was the weekly summary and literary edition of the 'Brisbane Courier' , since the 1850s the leading journal in the colony later federal state of Queensland...
Jun 8, 1878 p302d) depicts him as a political refugee following the 1848-51 revolt in France. He migrated to Australia New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
some time prior to 1856 and resided initially in Sydney where he was working as a gardener at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney
Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney
The Royal Botanic Gardens in Sydney, Australia, are the most central of the three major botanical gardens open to the public in Sydney....
before being drawn to Rockhampton by the Canoona gold rush.
He was a publican in 1862 but driven by a never failing professional interest in botany he commenced researching native Australian plants
Flora of Australia
The flora of Australia comprises a vast assemblage of plant species estimated to over 20,000 vascular and 14,000 non-vascular plants, 250,000 species of fungi and over 3,000 lichens...
used by indigenous
Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
people of Northern Queensland
Regions of Queensland
The Regions of Queensland refers to the geographic areas of the Australian state of Queensland. Due to its large size and decentralised population, the state is often divided into regions for statistical and administrative purposes. Each region varies somewhat in terms of its economy, population,...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
including the Darambal clans around Rockhampton where he came to be recogniced as a botantist. In 1866 he published Notes on Some of the Roots, Tubers, Bulbs and Fruits Used as Vegetable Food by the Aboriginals of Northern Queensland, Australia, W H Buzacott, Rockhampton. This pamphlet includes a description of midamo, a mixture of mangrove
Mangrove
Mangroves are various kinds of trees up to medium height and shrubs that grow in saline coastal sediment habitats in the tropics and subtropics – mainly between latitudes N and S...
roots and berries made by baking the root of the common mangrove
Mangrove
Mangroves are various kinds of trees up to medium height and shrubs that grow in saline coastal sediment habitats in the tropics and subtropics – mainly between latitudes N and S...
(Avicennia Tomentosa) called Egaie by the tribes of Cleveland Bay
Cleveland, Queensland
Cleveland is a suburb located approximately east-south-east of Brisbane, the capital of the Australian state of Queensland, and is the council seat for the Redland City local government area...
, and Tagon–Tagon by those of Rockhampton.
Thozet was the first director of the Rockhampton Botanic Gardens founded in 1861 and was known to supply plant and seed specimens to other botanists and Botanical Gardens, including Ferdinand von Mueller
Ferdinand von Mueller
Baron Sir Ferdinand Jacob Heinrich von Mueller, KCMG was a German-Australian physician, geographer, and most notably, a botanist.-Early life:...
of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne
Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne
The Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne are internationally renowned botanical gardens located near the centre of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, on the south bank of the Yarra River. They are 38 hectares of landscaped gardens consisting of a mix of native and non-native vegetation including over...
. Following his resignation from the Rockhampton Botanic Gardens, Thozet established his own plant nursery
Nursery (horticulture)
A nursery is a place where plants are propagated and grown to usable size. They include retail nurseries which sell to the general public, wholesale nurseries which sell only to businesses such as other nurseries and to commercial gardeners, and private nurseries which supply the needs of...
in North Rockhampton on 66 acres (267,092.8 m²) which are today bounded by Thozet Creek, Thozet Road, Rockonia Road and Lakes Creek Road.
A building at the Primary Industries Research Centre (Plant Sciences Group) at Central Queensland University
Central Queensland University
CQUniversity is an Australian public university based in Queensland. Its main campus is in North Rockhampton Queensland. However, it also has campuses in Bundaberg, Emerald, Gladstone and Mackay, as well as operations throughout Asia-Pacific. For instance, Melior Business School is one of its...
at Rockhampton is named in his honour. A creek and a road in Rockhampton also bear his name.