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sketcher and surveyor, was born in Essex, England, elder son of James Gardner Austin, an architect, and Mary Ann, née Pole. John Gardner Austin was presumably his uncle. Robert Austin arrived at Port Leschenault, WA, aboard the Island Queen in December 1840 with his parents and younger brother, James junior. Their father had been appointed chief surveyor of the WA Coy’s new settlement at Australind then superintendent of works at Perth until 1853, when he resigned to become a farmer. Robert Austin was also employed in the government service at Perth. He was acting assistant surveyor in 1847. In 1854 he led an exploring party north-east of Perth. His published Journal of the expedition contains lithographs by A. Hillman of Perth, mainly executed from sketches by J. Tatton B. Fraser , with some being worked up by W.A. Sanford . A page of contour profiles of Mt Kenneth and the surrounding country was, however, by Sanford after 'sketches by Robt. Austin’, while Crow’s Nest and a sectional view beneath it was 'sketched by R. Austin’.

Austin later went to Singapore, where he collected a rare night parrot subsequently described by John Gould . In 1860 he moved to Queensland to take up the position of government surveyor. He was appointed a commissioner of Crown lands the following year. He married Sophia Douglas in Queensland in 1862; they had 10 children. In 1891 Robert Austin became sergeant-at-arms of the Queensland Parliament, Brisbane. He died in Brisbane in February 1905.

Writers:

Staff Writer

Date written:

1992

Last updated:

2011