Henry Stuart Russell

Henry Stuart Russell (16 March 1818 – 5 March 1889) was an explorer, politician and pastoralist, best known for establishing the Cecil Plains Station around the Condamine River area.

Russell was born in Halliford, Middlesex, England, the son of an East India Company officer. He was educated at Harrow and Christ Church, Oxford. He migrated to Sydney, Australia in 1840, where he stayed at a New England station belonging to Arthur Hodgson, his second cousin.

In May 1842, Russell joined an exploration party in search of sheep country in Wide Bay. The party discovered the river, later named Mary. They also found and brought back two escaped convicts from the penal settlement. Russell made a subsequent journey in November 1842, where he discovered and named Boyne River. This expedition resulted in Russell taking up Burrandowan station.

Russell sold Burrandowan in 1847 to Philip Friell. His pastoral career ended in 1849. In January 1853, he was elected to the Legislative Council of New South Wales for Stanley Boroughs. In 1859, his interest in Cecil Plains was sold to James Taylor. He returned to Sydney, living at Mosman Bay for the following seven years. Suffering financial setbacks, he sailed for England in 1888. Also in 1888, he published a book, The Genesis of Queensland, detailing the early settlement and the growth of the pastoral industry in the area. He died at Ottery St. Mary, Devon, on 5 March 1889.

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