Thomas Bannister
Encyclopedia
Thomas Bannister was a soldier
and explorer in Western Australia
. He was born in Steyning
, Sussex
in 1799, and arrived in Western Australia in 1829, age 30, with the rank of Captain aboard the Atwick with 3 servants from London, England.
Upon arriving in Fremantle he accompanied Thomas Braidwood Wilson
to select land for settlement along the Canning River.
Later the same year he explored the base of the Darling Range and then lead an expedition from Perth
to Albany
accepting land grants along the way.
Bannister discovered Forth River and Frankland River
in 1831
Leaving the colony
in 1835, and went to Victoria
where he became a founding member of the Port Philip Association.
He is the brother of Saxe Bannister, the first Attorney General
of New South Wales
.
Thomas Bannister died in 1874. The Bannister River
and the town of North Bannister
are both named after him.
Soldier
A soldier is a member of the land component of national armed forces; whereas a soldier hired for service in a foreign army would be termed a mercenary...
and explorer in Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
. He was born in Steyning
Steyning
Steyning is a small town and civil parish in the Horsham District of West Sussex, England. It is located at the north end of the River Adur gap in the South Downs, four miles north of Shoreham-by-Sea...
, Sussex
Sussex
Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
in 1799, and arrived in Western Australia in 1829, age 30, with the rank of Captain aboard the Atwick with 3 servants from London, England.
Upon arriving in Fremantle he accompanied Thomas Braidwood Wilson
Thomas Braidwood Wilson
Thomas Braidwood Wilson FRGS was an Australian surgeon and explorer. He was born in Uphall, West Lothian, Scotland, the son of James, and Catherine Boak.-Sea Voyages:...
to select land for settlement along the Canning River.
Later the same year he explored the base of the Darling Range and then lead an expedition from Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
to Albany
Albany, Western Australia
Albany is a port city in the Great Southern region of Western Australia, some 418 km SE of Perth, the state capital. As of 2009, Albany's population was estimated at 33,600, making it the 6th-largest city in the state....
accepting land grants along the way.
Bannister discovered Forth River and Frankland River
Frankland River
The Frankland River is a river in the great southern region of Western Australia. The Frankland River is the largest river by volume in the region and the eighth largest in the state....
in 1831
Leaving the colony
Swan River Colony
The Swan River Colony was a British settlement established in 1829 on the Swan River, in Western Australia. The name was a pars pro toto for Western Australia. In 1832, the colony was officially renamed Western Australia, when the colony's founding Lieutenant-Governor, Captain James Stirling,...
in 1835, and went to 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....
where he became a founding member of the Port Philip Association.
He is the brother of Saxe Bannister, the first Attorney General
Attorney General
In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general, or attorney-general, is the main legal advisor to the government, and in some jurisdictions he or she may also have executive responsibility for law enforcement or responsibility for public prosecutions.The term is used to refer to any person...
of 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...
.
Thomas Bannister died in 1874. The Bannister River
Bannister River
Bannister River is a river in the South West region of Western Australia.The river rises in the East of North Bannister and flows in a southerly direction and dicharging into the Hotham River near Boddington....
and the town of North Bannister
North Bannister, Western Australia
North Bannister is a small town located in the Wheatbelt region of Western Australia, south-southeast of the state capital, Perth along Albany Highway between Armadale and Williams....
are both named after him.