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Ralph Darling

John Linnell (1792—1882)
Portrait of Ralph Darling, Governor of New South Wales, 1825—1831 1825
oil on wood panel; 30.3 x 24.9 cm
R9877

1825
February
25
Musquito and Black Jack, Aboriginal warriors, are hanged in Hobart

28 Brisbane orders the removal of the Moreton Bay settlement from Redcliffe to the site of present-day Brisbane

March
4 A penal settlement is established on Maria Island, Tasmania

24 Brisbane issues regulations for the sale of Crown land (from 5 shillings to 10 shillings per acre)

May
20
Andrew Bent is prosecuted for libelling Governor Arthur in the Hobart Town Gazette. He is subsequently fined and gaoled

June
6 Norfolk Island is reopened as a penal settlement for incorrigibles

14 Van Diemen's Land is separated administratively from New South Wales

The Van Diemen's Land Company is established by act of parliament to operate pastoral and agricultural interests

July
16 By 16 July Lieutenant-General Ralph Darling is given separate commissions as Governor of New South Wales and Van Diemen's Land. The area of New South Wales has its western boundary extended from 135'E to 129'E, to include Fort Dundas, Melville Island, and has its southern boundary extended to Wilson’s Promontory. South of that is to be Van Diemen's Land

21 The Australian Agricultural Company is promised a 31 year lease of Newcastle Coalmines

September
29 The Sydney Gazette changes from a weekly to a twice-weekly publication

November
4 Sydney Free Grammar School opens with L.H. Halloran as its headmaster It closes late 1826

December
3 Darling is sworn in as Governor of Van Diemen's Land. He proclaims the colony's independence from New South Wales, and establishes the Legislative Council, and then hands over control to Lieutenant-Governor George Arthur

17 Darling arrives at Port Jackson in the Catherine Stewart and takes over from Brisbane as Governor (19 December)

20 The new Legislative Council of New South Wales is sworn in

Other
Artist Augustus Earle arrives in Hobart from Tristan da Cunha, where he had been accidentally marooned for nine months

18,500 hectares of land are under cultivation; 134,500 head of cattle are grazing Australian pastures, and 186,600kg of wool is now being exported during a year

Buffaloes are imported from Timor and acclimatised at Fort Dundas, Melville Island