Queensland Surveyors General
The position of Queensland Surveyor General was created in 1859 when Queensland became a state and separated from New South Wales. Queensland’s first Surveyor General was Augustus Charles Gregory. The position of Surveyor General was abolished in 1993.
Queensland’s Surveyors General were:
- Augustus Charles Gregory 1859–1875
- William Alcock Tully 1875–1889
- William Montgomery Davenport Davidson 1889–1891
- Archibald McDowall 1891–1902
- Allan Alfred Spowers 1902–1926
- Frank Beresford Campbell-Ford 1927–1929
- John Percival Harvey 1929–1959
- Eric Douglas Mellor 1959–1961
- Torleif Hein 1961–1964
- William Barcham 1965–1966
- Alec Barr Yeates 1966–1975
- John Macquarie Serisier 1975–1982
- Kevin John Davies 1982–1990
- Neil Graham Divett 1990–1993
![Portrait of Sir Augustus Charles Gregory](https://www.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/image/0025/8782/gregory.jpg)
Sir Augustus Charles Gregory
Surveyor General
1859–1875
Birth
1819 in Nottinghamshire
Death
1905
Service
- Surveyor General 1859–1875
- In charge of the Lands Department 1859–1866
- Government Geologist for Southern Queensland 1875–1878
Professional memberships
- Foundation President Queensland Institute of Surveyors
- Foundation President Queensland Branch of the Royal Geographical Society
- Companion of the Order of St. Michael and St. George 1874
- Appointed to the Legislative Council 1882
- President of the Australian Society for the Advancement of Science 1895
- Knight of the Order of St. Michael and St. George 1903
Notable achievements
- Arrived in Australia 1829.
- Carried out surveys and explorations in Western Australia from 1841 to 1854.
- Led the North Australia Expedition 1855.
- Received the Gold Medal of the Royal Geographical Society for the North Australia Expedition.
- Led an expedition in search of Leichhardt in 1858.
- Queensland's first Surveyor General 1859–1875.
Read more about the life and profession of Sir Augustus Charles Gregory.
![Portrait of William Alcock Tully](https://www.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/image/0028/8659/tully.jpg)
William Alcock Tully
Surveyor General
1875–1889
Birth
1830 in Dublin
Education
Graduated B.A. 1852
Service
- Inspecting Surveyor Tasmanian Department of Lands and Survey 1852
- Commissioner for Lands, Queensland 1863
- Chief Commissioner 1866
- Under Secretary for Lands 1866
- Acting Surveyor General 1875–1880
- Surveyor General 1880–1889
Notable achievements
- Initiated system of astronomic and trigonometric control of mapping.
![Portrait of William Montgomery Davenport Davidson](https://www.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/image/0029/8768/davidson.jpg)
William Montgomery Davenport Davidson
Surveyor General
1889–1891
Birth
1830 in Surrey
Education
- Moravian Establishment in Yorkshire
- Stockton Grammar School
- Diplomate of the College of Civil Engineers
Service
- Inspecting Surveyor, Tasmania 1852
- District Surveyor for Wide Bay 1868
- Deputy Surveyor General 1875
- Surveyor General 1889–1891
Notable achievements
- Came to Queensland in 1861 at the invitation of A.C. Gregory.
- Introduced simultaneous and identical examinations for Surveyors in Queensland and New South Wales as a step towards reciprocity.
![Portrait of Archibald McDowall](https://www.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/image/0028/8785/mcdowall.jpg)
Archibald McDowall
Surveyor General
1891–1902
Birth
1841 in Victoria
Education
Campbelltown Grammar School
Service
- District Surveyor and Inspector of Surveys 1866
- Surveyor General 1891–1902
Professional memberships
- Chairman Board of Examiners 1892
- President of the revived Queensland Institute of Surveyors 1900
Notable achievements
- Introduced the use of steel tapes to Queensland 1877.
- In charge of base-line measurements at Jondaryan 1883.
- Largely responsible for the County Arbitrary Meridian System 1899.
- Initiated the planting of kauri pine forests on K’gari (formerly Fraser Island).
![Portrait of Allan Alfred Spowers](https://www.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/image/0026/8774/spowers.jpg)
Allan Alfred Spowers
Surveyor General
1902–1926
Birth
1857 in Victoria
Death
1937
Registered as a surveyor
1881
Education
Educated in Melbourne
Service
- Staff Surveyor 1885
- Chief Surveyor 1902
- Surveyor General 1902–1926
Professional memberships
- Chairman Associated Surveyors' Boards of Australia
Notable achievements
- Represented Chairman Associated Surveyors' Boards of Australia at the London Conference of Empire Surveyors General 1911.
![Portrait of Frank Beresford Campbell-Ford](https://www.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/image/0025/8926/campbell-ford.jpg)
Frank Beresford Campbell-Ford
Surveyor General
1927–1929
Birth
1851 in Victoria
Education
- Matriculated 1865
- Studied engineering at Melbourne University (took up surveying when his health failed)
- Passed Board examination with credit 1885
Service
- Staff Surveyor 1907
- Deputy Surveyor General 1916
- Acting Surveyor General 1927–1929
![Portrait of John Percival Harvey](https://www.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/image/0028/8767/harvey.jpg)
John Percival Harvey
Surveyor General
1929–1959
Birth
1892 in Mount Morgan
Registered as a surveyor
1917
Education
Bachelor of Surveying (Honorary) University of Queensland
Service
- Staff Surveyor 1923
- Deputy Surveyor General 1926
- Surveyor General 1929–1959
War service
- Served with the AIF 1917–1919
Professional memberships
- State Survey Liaison Officer 1940–1946
- Fellow of the Institution of Surveyors
- Chairman Recess Committee of the Reciprocating Surveyors Boards
![Portrait of Eric Douglas Mellor](https://www.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/image/0024/8781/mellor.jpg)
Eric Douglas Mellor
Surveyor General
1959–1961
Birth
1894 in Brisbane
Registered as a surveyor
1917
Service
- Staff Surveyor 1923
- Deputy Surveyor General 1954
- Acting Surveyor General 1959–1961
War service
- Served with the AIF 1916–1919
- Director War Service Settlement Branch 1946–1954
Professional memberships
- Fellow of the Institution of Surveyors
Notable achievements
- Pioneered the use of W/T time signals for longitude determination in Queensland.
![Portrait of Torleif Hein](https://www.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/image/0022/8635/hein.jpg)
Torleif Hein
Surveyor General
1961–1964
Birth
1898 in Norway, came to Australia 1899
Registered as a surveyor
1922
Service
- Staff Surveyor 1935
- Deputy Surveyor General 1959
- Surveyor General 1961–1964
War service
- Second in the Duntroon Entrance Examination
- Reached the rank of 2nd Lieutenant before being discharged medically unfit 1917
Professional memberships
- Chairman Reciprocating Surveyors Boards
- Fellow of the Institution of Surveyors
![Portrait of William Barcham](https://www.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/image/0022/8770/barcham.jpg)
William Barcham
Surveyor General
1965–1966
Registered as a surveyor
1924
Service
- Computer and Examiner (Survey Office) 1924
- Chief Computer 1951
- Deputy Surveyor General 1959
- Surveyor General 1965–1966
![Portrait of Alec Barr Yeates](https://www.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/image/0022/8761/yeates.jpg)
Alec Barr Yeates
Surveyor General
1966–1975
Registered as a surveyor
1937
Service
- Main Roads Surveyor 1937–1947
- City Surveyor, Toowoomba 1947–1965
- Deputy Surveyor General 1965
- Acting Surveyor General 1966–1967
- Surveyor General 1968–1975
War service
- Captain, Survey Corps 1940–1946
Professional memberships
- President Queensland Division, Institute of Surveyors, Australia (I.S.A.) 1964
- President Australian Planning Institute (Queensland Division) 1966–1967 and 1967–1968
![Portrait of John Macquarie Serisier](https://www.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/image/0027/8775/serisier.jpg)
John Macquarie Serisier
Surveyor General
1975–1982
Birth
1922 in Ipswich
Death
1997
Registered as a surveyor
1951
Service
- Surveyor Division 1 1951
- Staff Surveyor 1957
- Senior Staff Surveyor 1961
- Project Surveyor 1962
- Surveyor General 1975–1982
Professional memberships
- President Queensland Division of Institute of Cartographers (A.I.C.) 1964
- Fellow of A.I.C.
- Foundation member of Institute of Surveyors, Australia (I.S.A.)
- Vice President Queensland Division of I.S.A. 1966
- President Queensland Division of I.S.A. 1967
- Vice President of I.S.A. 1976–1978
- President of I.S.A. 1981
- Honorary Fellow of I.S.A.
![Portrait of Kevin John Davies](https://www.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/image/0026/8756/davies.jpg)
Kevin John Davies
Surveyor General
1982–1990
Birth
1937
Death
2012
Registered as a surveyor
1959
Service
- Private survey practice 1960–1978
- Deputy Director, Department of Mapping and Surveying 1978
- Deputy Surveyor General
- Surveyor General 1982–1990
- Director General, Department of Geographic Information
- Director General, Department Public Works and Housing
Professional memberships
- Inaugural Chairman Association of Consulting Surveyors Queensland
- President Queensland Division of Institute of Surveyors, Australia (I.S.A.)
- President of I.S.A.
- Fellow of I.S.A.
![Portrait of Neil Graham Divett](https://www.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/image/0023/8771/divett.jpg)
Neil Graham Divett
Surveyor General
1990–1993
Birth
1935 in Brisbane
Death
2011
Registered as a surveyor
1957
Service
- Surveyor, Commonwealth Department of Interior 1957
- Senior/Supervising Surveyor, Australian Survey Office 1964
- Director of Surveys, Department of Mapping and Surveying 1982
- Assistant Surveyor General
- Deputy Surveyor General
- Assistant Director General (Information)
- Surveyor General 1990–1993
Professional memberships
- Vice President Institute of Surveyors, Australia (I.S.A.) 1984
- Vice President Queensland Division of I.S.A. 1985
- President Queensland Division of I.S.A. 1986
- Honorary Fellow of I.S.A.
- Member of Land Court 1997–2005
Notable achievements
- Last serving Surveyor General before the position was abolished in 1993.
References
Reilly, SE 1970, The profession of surveying in Queensland, Institution of Surveyors, Australia (Queensland Division), Brisbane.
Related links
- Read about Queensland’s historical surveying history.
- Learn about Queensland’s historical surveying processes.
- View images of instruments and equipment used to survey and map Queensland.
- Watch videos featuring aspects of the surveying and mapping history of Queensland.