Robert Herbertson (1852–1940) was a politician in

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...

, Australia. He was a Member of the

Queensland Legislative Assembly The Legislative Assembly of Queensland is the sole chamber of the unicameral Parliament of Queensland established under the Constitution of Queensland. Elections are held every four years and are done by full preferential voting. The Assembly ...

Early life

Robert Herberston was born on 4 January 1852 in

Hobart Hobart ( ; Nuennonne/Palawa kani: ''nipaluna'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. Home to almost half of all Tasmanians, it is the least-populated Australian state capital city, and second-small ...

Tasmania ) , nickname = , image_map = Tasmania in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Tasmania in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdi ...

, the son of Andrew Herbertson and Christiana (née Stewart). His father, a Scot, was a horticulturalist and Superintendent of the Government Gardens, later the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens, under Sir

John Franklin Sir John Franklin (16 April 1786 – 11 June 1847) was a British Royal Navy officer and Arctic explorer. After serving in wars against Napoleonic France and the United States, he led two expeditions into the Canadian Arctic and through ...

, (a

Governor of Tasmania The governor of Tasmania is the representative in the Australian state of Tasmania of the Monarch of Australia, currently King Charles III. The incumbent governor is Barbara Baker, who was appointed in June 2021. The official residence of the ...

). His mother, also a Scot, was attendant to Lady

Jane Franklin Jane, Lady Franklin (née Griffin; 4 December 1791 – 18 July 1875) was the second wife of the English explorer Sir John Franklin. During her husband's period as Lieutenant-Governor of Van Diemen's Land, she became known for her philanthropic ...

and accompanied Lady Franklin on travels to South Australia, New Zealand and Macquarie Harbour. Herbertson was educated in Hobart. At age 17 he went to

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...

to try his luck on the

goldfields Goldfield or Goldfields may refer to: Places * Goldfield, Arizona, the former name of Youngberg, Arizona, a populated place in the United States * Goldfield, Colorado, a community in the United States * Goldfield, Iowa, a city in the United State ...

. Later he went to Melbourne, where after managing a brick and tile company, he became a public works contractor. In 1878–1879 he was one of ten expeditioners who undertook an ill-fated search for gold in

New Guinea New Guinea (; Hiri Motu Hiri Motu, also known as Police Motu, Pidgin Motu, or just Hiri, is a language of Papua New Guinea, which is spoken in surrounding areas of Port Moresby (Capital of Papua New Guinea). It is a simplified version of ...

; he maintained a diary throughout the trip. Acting upon medical advice, he came to Queensland, and for a time ran a hotel in Gladstone. He also was a mining investor and a sawmiller.

Politics

Herbertson took a keen interest in local affairs and was for some years an alderman of

Gladstone William Ewart Gladstone ( ; 29 December 1809 – 19 May 1898) was a British statesman and Liberal politician. In a career lasting over 60 years, he served for 12 years as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, spread over four non-conse ...

and served as mayor for one term. He was also a member of the

Calliope Shire Council The Shire of Calliope was a local government area in the Capricornia region of Queensland, Australia. It was centred on the town of Calliope. History Calliope Division was created on 11 November 1879 as one of 74 divisions around Queensland ...

, where he was twice chairman. Herbertson was elected to the Queensland Legislative Assembly on 27 August 1904 as the Member for

Port Curtis Port Curtis is a suburb of Rockhampton in the Rockhampton Region, Queensland, Australia. In the , Port Curtis had a population of 281 people. Geography The Fitzroy River bounds the suburb to the north-east. Gavial Creek, a tributary of th ...

. He held the seat until 2 October 1909, when he was defeated by Edward Breslin.

Later life

Herbertson died on 1 March 1940 in

Ormiston Ormiston is a village in East Lothian, Scotland, near Tranent, Humbie, Pencaitland and Cranston, located on the north bank of the River Tyne at an elevation of about . The village was the first planned village in Scotland, founded in 1735 ...

, Queensland where he had lived for many years. He was 88 years old.

Early life

Politics

Later life

References

Further reading