Charles Throsby
| Charles Throsby | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1771 Glenfield, Leicestershire |
| Died | 2 April 1828 Sydney, New South Wales |
| Nationality | English |
| Occupation | Surgeon, explorer |
| Known for | Exploration, pioneer |
Charles Throsby (1771 – 2 April 1828) was an Australian explorer, pioneer and parliamentarian. He opened up much new land beyond the Blue Mountains for colonial settlement. He was a grazier, and became a prominent member of New South Wales society.
Throsby was born in Glenfield near Leicester in England. He was engaged as a surgeon on the convict transport Coromandel carrying 136 male convicts from Portsmouth to Sydney. They departed Portsmouth 12 February 1802, and arrived in Sydney without calling in port on 13 June 1802, with no reported convict deaths under his care.
Soon afterwards he joined the medical staff of the Colony, and in October 1802 he was appointed a magistrate and acting-surgeon at Castle Hill. In August 1804 he was transferred to Newcastle, and in April 1805 was made superintendent there. Towards the end of 1808 he was given a grant of 500 acres (2 km²) at Cabramatta, and in the following year resigned his position at Newcastle. In 1811 he was employed as agent by the colony's wealthiest landowner, Sir John Jamison, of Regentville.
He subsequently paid a visit to England
In 1817, Throsby did some exploration near Moss Vale and Sutton Forest.
On 8 March 1818, with James Meehan, he set out to discover a route to Jervis Bay, and about three weeks later — the party having been split up — Throsby's section reached Jervis Bay by way of the Kangaroo and Lower Shoalhaven rivers. Determining that he had no hope of finding his way to his intended destination, he couldn't decide whether to keep going or head back. Fortunately for him a pair of aborigines helped him get through the valley by way of Meryla Pass.
On 25 April 1819 Throsby pioneered exploration west of the Blue Mountains, when he left the Cowpastures (near the present day Camden), and travelling first south-south-west, then west, north-west, and north-north-west, finished his journey near the site of Bathurst. Macquarie stated in a dispatch that "the rich fertile country passed over by Mr Throsby . . . will be fully equal to meet every increase of the population . . . for many years". Throsby himself was given a grant of land near Moss Vale at Bong Bong. Throsby undertook the journey with John Rowley, two servants, and two Aboriginal guides, named Cookoogong and Dual.
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