Charles Tyers
Encyclopedia
Captain Charles James Tyers RN
FRSV (13 September 1806–20 September 1870) was a 19th century surveyor and explorer, and the Commissioner for Crown Land
s for Portland
(1841) and Gippsland
(1844). He was born in London, the son of John Tyers and his wife Elizabeth née Theobald.
There are many geographical features named after him, including Tyers
, Tyers Junction, Western Tyers, Tyers River, Mount Tyers, and Lake Tyers. His many achievements include the surveying and naming of Port Essington
(1839), the determination of the border between South Australia
and Victoria
, naming the Baw Baw plateau, and being the first European (in 1841) to climb Mount Emu and Mount Buninyong
in the Western District of Victoria.
area of northern Australia. He reached the rank of Captain, but before he was given a command he left the navy in 1839 to join the colonial service.
In 1839 Tyers was transferred from the Royal Navy to the Colonial Service
and given the title of 'Commissioner for Crown Lands for Portland'. He was instructed to ascertain the precise longitude at the mouth of the Glenelg River
so that a distance to the 141st meridian (the eastern border) could be measured.
On 1 October 1839 Tyers arrived in Melbourne from Sydney on the 'Pyramus'. He set about assembling his party which was to include Thomas Townsend, Assistant Surveyor, seven convicts and his private servant, also a dray, nine bullocks and two packhorses. His equipment included a 3½ inch (9 cm) theodolite, for astronomical work a sextant, a compass and circumferenter and two sets of surveying chains
. He utilised three methods for surveying: chronometric measurements from Sydney, triangulation
from Melbourne and lunar observations from Portland.
He set out westwards for Portland on 13 October 1840 into what was uncharted and largely unknown territory. He crossed the Moorabool River
north of Geelong
near Buckley's Falls. Then proceeded to cross the Nuriwillum or Lea River. The use of aboriginal names for geographical features was a notable feature throughout his surveying career; European toponyms have superseded most of them. He then went north of Lake Corangamite
and Lake Colac
which he named and ascended Derrinallum or Mount Elephant
twenty miles to the west on the 26th. Unable to directly go to Portland because of swampy country, he then continued northwest towards Gariwerd or the Grampians. On the 29th he ascended Dooroobdoorabul or Mount Shadwell and a day later Mount Rouse. Further thwarted by swampy land he headed north to Wiribcot or Mount Abrupt at the southern end of the Grampians which he ascended on 6 November. From here he was able to avoid difficult country by heading south and arrived at Portland
on the 14th where he was accommodated and welcomed by Edward Henty
.
On an expanse of sandy beach he formed a broad arrow with limestone rocks. This became known as Tyers' Mark and was used to determine the starting point for the border survey. Due to primarily inadequate equipment this was later determined to be 2 mile and 4 chains
(3.30 km) in error leading to the South Australia-Victoria border dispute
.
in early 1844, and was soon involved in legal, moral and cultural problems of a different sort than what he found in Werten District the year before. On 11 February 1844, he notes in his diary:
Some time later a boating party on the Gippsland Lakes
, which included Tyers, was searching for a spot to land to gather dry sticks. A local grazier Dunderdale records:
The worst killing during Tyers' period happened on a tributary of the Snowy River
between today's Orbost
and Marlo
. Native Police
were involved, including some Western Port
blacks, traditional enemies of the Kurnai. Commissioner Tyers reported: "At least fifty [Aborigines] were killed by the native police and other aborigines attached to the parties in search of a white woman."
Policemen Dan and Walsh, under Tyers' command were reported to be culpable, a local grazier Warman in his journal records "as long as such persons as Messrs W. Dana and Walsh are in command of the native police nothing can be done to stop their extermination for the native blacks are the most cruel blood thirsty wretches alive, and nothing gives them so much pleasure as shooting and tomahawking the defenceless savages".
Tyers was responsible for inaugurating government in Gippsland and virtually became 'King' of the huge isolated area, where lawlessness had been common and the Aboriginals hostile. He made a map showing holdings and their occupants and sent it to La Trobe in July 1844 with a descriptive and statistical report. He regulated the liquor trade and on his recommendations two police stations and a Court of Petty Sessions were established and two justices of the peace appointed. He improved Port Albert to cope with the growing trade with Hobart
. He made extensive explorations of Gippsland, always making his land valuations after trigonometrical survey and collection of geological specimens. In 1846 he investigated the suitability of Gabo Island
for a lighthouse. He was appointed a stipendiary magistrate in 1853. To this position was added that of warden of the Gippsland goldfields in 1861.
He moved from Old Port to Eagle Point
, where in 1849 he married Georgina Caroline, daughter of William Scott, a grazier at Swan Reach. Later he moved to Sale
and then built a home, Seabank, at Old Port, where he retired in 1867. He died at Melbourne
on 20 September 1870.
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
FRSV (13 September 1806–20 September 1870) was a 19th century surveyor and explorer, and the Commissioner for Crown Land
Crown land
In Commonwealth realms, Crown land is an area belonging to the monarch , the equivalent of an entailed estate that passed with the monarchy and could not be alienated from it....
s for Portland
Portland, Victoria
The city of Portland is the oldest European settlement in what is now the state of Victoria, Australia. It is the main urban centre of the Shire of Glenelg. It is located on Portland Bay.-History:...
(1841) and Gippsland
Gippsland
Gippsland is a large rural region in Victoria, Australia. It begins immediately east of the suburbs of Melbourne and stretches to the New South Wales border, lying between the Great Dividing Range to the north and Bass Strait to the south...
(1844). He was born in London, the son of John Tyers and his wife Elizabeth née Theobald.
There are many geographical features named after him, including Tyers
Tyers, Victoria
Tyers is a small town in Victoria, Australia. It is east of Melbourne, north-west of Traralgon and located in the City of Latrobe. It was known until 1852 as "Boola Boola", after which it was named after the surveyor and explorer Charles Tyers...
, Tyers Junction, Western Tyers, Tyers River, Mount Tyers, and Lake Tyers. His many achievements include the surveying and naming of Port Essington
Port Essington
Port Essington is an inlet and historic site located on the Cobourg Peninsula in the Garig Gunak Barlu National Park in Australia's Northern Territory...
(1839), the determination of the border between South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
and Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
, naming the Baw Baw plateau, and being the first European (in 1841) to climb Mount Emu and Mount Buninyong
Mount Buninyong
Mount Buninyong is a hill overlooking Ballarat in Victoria, Australia. Formed from an extinct volcano, it rises to above sea level. The mountain was originally named Mount Bonan Yowing which is said to derive from an Aboriginal word meaning a man lying on his back with his knee raised...
in the Western District of Victoria.
Early career
After an education at Christ's Hospital he entered the navy in 1828. He served under Admiral Lord Lyons on the Blonde and Captain Bremer on the Alligator. He made a study of marine surveying and computed longitudes in the Channel, Mediterranean, West Indies and South Africa becoming recognized as an expert and in 1837 he was commissioned to survey the Port EssingtonPort Essington
Port Essington is an inlet and historic site located on the Cobourg Peninsula in the Garig Gunak Barlu National Park in Australia's Northern Territory...
area of northern Australia. He reached the rank of Captain, but before he was given a command he left the navy in 1839 to join the colonial service.
Commissioner for Crown Lands for Portland
Following the establishment of the state of South Australia in 1836, the region between the coast and the Murray River was rapidly being settled by squatters selecting large runs for sheep grazing. With no clear border legal oversight was impossible. An accurate border needed to be defined.In 1839 Tyers was transferred from the Royal Navy to the Colonial Service
Colonial Service
The Colonial Service was the British government service which administered Britain's colonies and protectorates, under the authority of the Secretary of State for the Colonies and the Colonial Office in London....
and given the title of 'Commissioner for Crown Lands for Portland'. He was instructed to ascertain the precise longitude at the mouth of the Glenelg River
Glenelg River (Victoria)
The Glenelg River is a river in southwestern Victoria and southeastern South Australia in Australia. The river starts in the Grampian Ranges and runs for over 350 kilometres, making it the longest river in south-west Victoria. A short stretch of the lower end winds through South Australia before...
so that a distance to the 141st meridian (the eastern border) could be measured.
On 1 October 1839 Tyers arrived in Melbourne from Sydney on the 'Pyramus'. He set about assembling his party which was to include Thomas Townsend, Assistant Surveyor, seven convicts and his private servant, also a dray, nine bullocks and two packhorses. His equipment included a 3½ inch (9 cm) theodolite, for astronomical work a sextant, a compass and circumferenter and two sets of surveying chains
Gunter's chain
Gunter's chain is a measuring device used for land survey. It was designed and introduced in 1620 by English clergyman and mathematician Edmund Gunter long before the development of the theodolite and other more sophisticated equipment, enabling plots of land to be accurately surveyed and plotted,...
. He utilised three methods for surveying: chronometric measurements from Sydney, triangulation
Triangulation
In trigonometry and geometry, triangulation is the process of determining the location of a point by measuring angles to it from known points at either end of a fixed baseline, rather than measuring distances to the point directly...
from Melbourne and lunar observations from Portland.
He set out westwards for Portland on 13 October 1840 into what was uncharted and largely unknown territory. He crossed the Moorabool River
Moorabool River
The Moorabool River is a river in Victoria, Australia that runs past several small towns and areas such as Meredith, Anakie, and Staughton Vale...
north of Geelong
Geelong, Victoria
Geelong is a port city located on Corio Bay and the Barwon River, in the state of Victoria, Australia, south-west of the state capital; Melbourne. It is the second most populated city in Victoria and the fifth most populated non-capital city in Australia...
near Buckley's Falls. Then proceeded to cross the Nuriwillum or Lea River. The use of aboriginal names for geographical features was a notable feature throughout his surveying career; European toponyms have superseded most of them. He then went north of Lake Corangamite
Lake Corangamite
Lake Corangamite is Victoria’s largest natural lake, located near Colac in south-west Victoria, Australia in the Lakes and Craters region of the Victorian Volcanic Plains. The lake is hypersaline, and salinity levels have increased dramatically as the lake level has dropped in recent decades...
and Lake Colac
Lake Colac
Lake Colac is situated to the north of the Colac town centre in Victoria, Australia. The lake provides a home for the Yacht Club, Rowing Club and water skiers during the summer months and has many birds. The foreshore has a playground, boat ramp and the Colac Botanical Gardens. Midway through...
which he named and ascended Derrinallum or Mount Elephant
Mount Elephant
Mount Elephant is a 240 m high conical breached scoria cone formed by an Extinct volcano, located 1 km from the town of Derrinallum in southwestern Victoria, Australia. It is a prominent landmark....
twenty miles to the west on the 26th. Unable to directly go to Portland because of swampy country, he then continued northwest towards Gariwerd or the Grampians. On the 29th he ascended Dooroobdoorabul or Mount Shadwell and a day later Mount Rouse. Further thwarted by swampy land he headed north to Wiribcot or Mount Abrupt at the southern end of the Grampians which he ascended on 6 November. From here he was able to avoid difficult country by heading south and arrived at Portland
Portland, Victoria
The city of Portland is the oldest European settlement in what is now the state of Victoria, Australia. It is the main urban centre of the Shire of Glenelg. It is located on Portland Bay.-History:...
on the 14th where he was accommodated and welcomed by Edward Henty
Edward Henty
See also Western District Edward Henty ,was a pioneer and first permanent settler in the Port Phillip district , Australia....
.
On an expanse of sandy beach he formed a broad arrow with limestone rocks. This became known as Tyers' Mark and was used to determine the starting point for the border survey. Due to primarily inadequate equipment this was later determined to be 2 mile and 4 chains
Chain (unit)
A chain is a unit of length; it measures 66 feet or 22 yards or 100 links . There are 10 chains in a furlong, and 80 chains in one statute mile. An acre is the area of 10 square chains...
(3.30 km) in error leading to the South Australia-Victoria border dispute
South Australia-Victoria border dispute
The border between the Australian states of South Australia and Victoria was established in 1836 by imperial letters patent "as the 141st degree meridian of longitude east of Greenwich"...
.
Commissioner for Crown Lands for Gippsland
The newly appointed Commissioner of Crown Lands Tyers arrived in GippslandGippsland
Gippsland is a large rural region in Victoria, Australia. It begins immediately east of the suburbs of Melbourne and stretches to the New South Wales border, lying between the Great Dividing Range to the north and Bass Strait to the south...
in early 1844, and was soon involved in legal, moral and cultural problems of a different sort than what he found in Werten District the year before. On 11 February 1844, he notes in his diary:
- "I issued orders to both the border police and the blacks not to fire except in self defence - but to rush upon them and take them by surprise. When approaching the scrub however in line - one of the party fired and was followed by the whole. The natives being taken by surprise fled though the scrub - leaving everything behind them."
Some time later a boating party on the Gippsland Lakes
Gippsland Lakes
The Gippsland Lakes are a network of lakes, marshes and lagoons in east Gippsland, Victoria, Australia covering an area of about 600 km2. The largest of the lakes are Lake Wellington , Lake King and Lake Victoria. They are fed by the Avon, Thomson, Latrobe, Mitchell, Nicholson and Tambo...
, which included Tyers, was searching for a spot to land to gather dry sticks. A local grazier Dunderdale records:
- when it [the boat] neared the land the air was filled with a stench so horrible that Mr. Tyers at once put the boat about, and went away in another direction. Next day he visited the spot with his police, and he found that the dead wood covered a large pile of corpses of the natives shot by his own black troopers, and he directed them to make it a holocaust.
The worst killing during Tyers' period happened on a tributary of the Snowy River
Snowy River
The Snowy River is a major river in south-eastern Australia. It originates on the slopes of Mount Kosciuszko, Australia's highest mainland peak, draining the eastern slopes of the Snowy Mountains in New South Wales, before flowing through the Snowy River National Park in Victoria and emptying into...
between today's Orbost
Orbost, Victoria
Orbost is a town in the Shire of East Gippsland, Victoria, Australia, located east of Melbourne and south of Canberra where the Princes Highway crosses the Snowy River. It is about from the town of Marlo on the coast of Bass Strait. At the 2006 census, Orbost had a population of 2452...
and Marlo
Marlo, Victoria
Marlo is a small village in the Gippsland region of Victoria, Australia. It is located east near the mouth of the Snowy River where the Snowy River meets and flows into the Southern Ocean....
. Native Police
Native Police Corps
An Australian Native Police Corps was first established in 1842 in the Port Phillip District of the Australian colony of New South Wales...
were involved, including some Western Port
Western Port
Western Port, is sometimes called "Western Port Bay", is a large tidal bay in southern Victoria, Australia opening into Bass Strait. It is the second largest bay in Victoria. Geographically, it is dominated by the two large islands; French Island and Phillip Island. Contrary to its name, it lies to...
blacks, traditional enemies of the Kurnai. Commissioner Tyers reported: "At least fifty [Aborigines] were killed by the native police and other aborigines attached to the parties in search of a white woman."
Policemen Dan and Walsh, under Tyers' command were reported to be culpable, a local grazier Warman in his journal records "as long as such persons as Messrs W. Dana and Walsh are in command of the native police nothing can be done to stop their extermination for the native blacks are the most cruel blood thirsty wretches alive, and nothing gives them so much pleasure as shooting and tomahawking the defenceless savages".
Tyers was responsible for inaugurating government in Gippsland and virtually became 'King' of the huge isolated area, where lawlessness had been common and the Aboriginals hostile. He made a map showing holdings and their occupants and sent it to La Trobe in July 1844 with a descriptive and statistical report. He regulated the liquor trade and on his recommendations two police stations and a Court of Petty Sessions were established and two justices of the peace appointed. He improved Port Albert to cope with the growing trade with Hobart
Hobart
Hobart is the state capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. Founded in 1804 as a penal colony,Hobart is Australia's second oldest capital city after Sydney. In 2009, the city had a greater area population of approximately 212,019. A resident of Hobart is known as...
. He made extensive explorations of Gippsland, always making his land valuations after trigonometrical survey and collection of geological specimens. In 1846 he investigated the suitability of Gabo Island
Gabo Island
Gabo Island is a 154 ha island located off the coast of eastern Victoria, Australia, between Mallacoota and Cape Howe on the border with New South Wales. It is separated from the mainland by a 500 m wide channel; access is available by arranged flights and boats...
for a lighthouse. He was appointed a stipendiary magistrate in 1853. To this position was added that of warden of the Gippsland goldfields in 1861.
He moved from Old Port to Eagle Point
Eagle Point
Eagle Point may refer to:* Eagle Point, Oregon* Eagle Point, Wisconsin* Eagle Point, Pennsylvania-See also:* Eagle Point Park, Dubuque, Iowa* Eagle Point Park, Pasco County Florida...
, where in 1849 he married Georgina Caroline, daughter of William Scott, a grazier at Swan Reach. Later he moved to Sale
Sale, Victoria
Sale is a city in the Gippsland region of the Australian state of Victoria. It is the seat of the Shire of Wellington as well as the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sale and the Anglican Diocese of Gippsland. It has a population of around 13,336, and is expected to reach a population of 14,000 soon...
and then built a home, Seabank, at Old Port, where he retired in 1867. He died at Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
on 20 September 1870.