John Murray (pastoralist)
Encyclopedia
John Murray was an Australian pastoralist and politician.
Born in Mauchline
in Ayrshire
to coachman Peter Murray and Jean, née Witherspoon, he was educated locally and emigrated to the Victoria
n goldfields around 1852. In 1862 he and his brothers established a cattle shipping business in New South Wales
, operating between Newcastle
and New Zealand
, although the latter's prohibition of cattle imports in 1864 due to pleuropneumonia in Australia ended the venture. In December of that year Murray relocated to Rockhampton
, selecting around 2000 acres of land and growing sugarcane
from 1872.
On 1 September 1873, Murray married Jane Elizabeth Hartley; they had three children, but Jane died in 1877. On 3 January 1882 Murray married Margaret McGavin, with whom he had four children. In 1888 he was elected to the Queensland Legislative Assembly
for Normanby, supporting Thomas McIlwraith
's group. He resigned from parliament in November 1903 to contest the Senate
, but he was unsuccessful. During the campaign Murray described Labor
's control of the balance of power
in the Australian Parliament as "government from the gutter". His own politics were largely conservative, although he long prevaricated on the issue of separation for Central Queensland
.
In 1890 he finally declared his support for separation and declined a seat in the Griffith
-McIlwraith coalition ministry. He entered cabinet in 1898 as secretary for railways and public works under T. J. Byrnes
and later James Dickson
. In 1901 he was appointed to the Queensland Legislative Council
and served as secretary for public instruction until August 1902 and minister without portfolio under Robert Philp
until his retirement in 1903. Following his defeat in the federal election he retired to return to pastoralism, purchasing Beaconsfield East and West stations at Ilfracombe
in 1911. He later lived mostly at Tullibardine in Brisbane
. He died at Longreach after a short illness in 1917.
Born in Mauchline
Mauchline
Mauchline is a town in East Ayrshire, Scotland. In the 2001 census it had a recorded population of 4105. It lies by the Glasgow and South Western Railway line, 8 miles east-southeast of Kilmarnock and 11 miles northeast of Ayr. It is situated on a gentle slope about 1 mile from the River Ayr,...
in Ayrshire
Ayrshire
Ayrshire is a registration county, and former administrative county in south-west Scotland, United Kingdom, located on the shores of the Firth of Clyde. Its principal towns include Ayr, Kilmarnock and Irvine. The town of Troon on the coast has hosted the British Open Golf Championship twice in the...
to coachman Peter Murray and Jean, née Witherspoon, he was educated locally and emigrated to the 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....
n goldfields around 1852. In 1862 he and his brothers established a cattle shipping business in 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...
, operating between Newcastle
Newcastle, New South Wales
The Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the Australian state of New South Wales and includes most of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Local Government Areas...
and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, although the latter's prohibition of cattle imports in 1864 due to pleuropneumonia in Australia ended the venture. In December of that year Murray relocated to Rockhampton
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....
, selecting around 2000 acres of land and growing sugarcane
Sugarcane
Sugarcane refers to any of six to 37 species of tall perennial grasses of the genus Saccharum . Native to the warm temperate to tropical regions of South Asia, they have stout, jointed, fibrous stalks that are rich in sugar, and measure two to six metres tall...
from 1872.
On 1 September 1873, Murray married Jane Elizabeth Hartley; they had three children, but Jane died in 1877. On 3 January 1882 Murray married Margaret McGavin, with whom he had four children. In 1888 he was elected to the Queensland Legislative Assembly
Queensland Legislative Assembly
The Queensland Legislative Assembly is the unicameral chamber of the Parliament of Queensland. Elections are held approximately once every three years. Voting is by the Optional Preferential Voting form of the Alternative Vote system...
for Normanby, supporting Thomas McIlwraith
Thomas McIlwraith
Sir Thomas McIlwraith KCMG was for many years the dominant figure of colonial politics in Queensland. He was Premier of Queensland from 1877 to 1883, again in 1888, and for a third time in 1893...
's group. He resigned from parliament in November 1903 to contest the Senate
Australian Senate
The Senate is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of Australia, the lower house being the House of Representatives. Senators are popularly elected under a system of proportional representation. Senators are elected for a term that is usually six years; after a double dissolution, however,...
, but he was unsuccessful. During the campaign Murray described Labor
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
's control of the balance of power
Balance of power
Balance of power may refer to:* Balance of power , distribution of power between a central government and its subnational governments...
in the Australian Parliament as "government from the gutter". His own politics were largely conservative, although he long prevaricated on the issue of separation for Central Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
.
In 1890 he finally declared his support for separation and declined a seat in the Griffith
Samuel Griffith
Sir Samuel Walker Griffith GCMG QC, was an Australian politician, Premier of Queensland, Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia and a principal author of the Constitution of Australia.-Early life:...
-McIlwraith coalition ministry. He entered cabinet in 1898 as secretary for railways and public works under T. J. Byrnes
Thomas Joseph Byrnes
Thomas Joseph Byrnes was Premier of Queensland from April 1898 until his death, having previously served in several ministerial positions in his parliamentary career.-Early life:...
and later James Dickson
James Dickson
Sir James Robert Dickson, KCMG was an Australian politician and businessman, the 13th Premier of Queensland and a member of the first federal ministry....
. In 1901 he was appointed to the Queensland Legislative Council
Queensland Legislative Council
The Queensland Legislative Council was the upper house of the parliament in the Australian state of Queensland. It was a fully nominated body which first took office on 1 May 1860. It was abolished by the Constitution Amendment Act 1921, which took effect on 23 March 1922.Consequently, the...
and served as secretary for public instruction until August 1902 and minister without portfolio under Robert Philp
Robert Philp
Sir Robert Philp, KCMG was a Queensland businessman and politician who was Premier of Queensland from December 1899 to September 1903 and again from November 1907 to February 1908.-Early life:...
until his retirement in 1903. Following his defeat in the federal election he retired to return to pastoralism, purchasing Beaconsfield East and West stations at Ilfracombe
Ilfracombe, Queensland
Ilfracombe is a small town in Queensland, Australia that calls itself The Hub of the West. The main industry is sheep rearing, mainly for wool. Ilfracombe is situated on the Landsborough Highway, about 27 km east of Longreach, 214 metres above sea level, within the Longreach Region...
in 1911. He later lived mostly at Tullibardine in Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
. He died at Longreach after a short illness in 1917.