Charles Weston , born Thomas Charles George Weston (14 October 1866 – 1 December 1935) was an Australian

horticulturist Horticulture is the branch of agriculture that deals with the art, science, technology, and business of plant cultivation. It includes the cultivation of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, herbs, sprouts, mushrooms, algae, flowers, seaweeds and no ...

and was responsible for the

afforestation Afforestation is the establishment of a forest or stand of trees (forestation) in an area where there was no previous tree cover. Many government and non-governmental organizations directly engage in afforestation programs to create forests a ...

Canberra Canberra ( ) is the capital city of Australia. Founded following the federation of the colonies of Australia as the seat of government for the new nation, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The ci ...

. Weston was born in

Middlesex Middlesex (; abbreviation: Middx) is a Historic counties of England, historic county in South East England, southeast England. Its area is almost entirely within the wider urbanised area of London and mostly within the Ceremonial counties of ...

, England. He trained as a horticulturist in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...

and migrated to New South Wales in 1896. He was employed as a gardener at Admiralty House in

Sydney Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...

from 1898 to 1908 and as the superintendent at Federal Government House, Sydney until 1912. He managed the State Nursery, at Campbelltown between 1912 and 1913, and was appointed officer-in-charge of afforestation, Canberra in that year. He held that position until 1926. In Canberra, in collaboration with the city's designer

Walter Burley Griffin Walter Burley Griffin (November 24, 1876February 11, 1937) was an American architect and landscape architect. He is known for designing Canberra, Australia's capital city and the New South Wales towns of Griffith, New South Wales, Griffith and ...

, he carried out extensive scientific breeding trials to increase the number of species that might grow in Canberra. He also established the first plantation forest on

Mount Stromlo Mount Stromlo (formerly Mount Strom ) is a mountain with an elevation of that is situated in the Australian Capital Territory, Australia. The mountain is most notable as the location of the Mount Stromlo Observatory. The mountain forms part ...

. Nearly 1.2 million trees were put in between 1921 and 1924.

Weston Park Weston Park is a country house in Weston-under-Lizard, Staffordshire, England, set in more than of park landscaped by Capability Brown. The park is located north-west of Wolverhampton, and north-east of Telford, close to the border with Sh ...

, a large park in Canberra, is named in his honour, as is a eucalypt, and a creek, street, and district of the Capital. In 2015 it was announced that the name of a new primary school in the

Molonglo Valley The District of Molonglo Valley is one of the nineteen districts of the Australian Capital Territory used in land administration, and the only district that was not created in 1966. The district is subdivided into divisions (suburbs), sections a ...

district of the Australian Capital Territory would also commemorate his name. He died in

Turramurra Turramurra is a suburb on the Upper North Shore of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is located north-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Ku-ring-gai Council. It shares the postc ...

and his ashes were scattered in front of Old Parliament House in Canberra.''Exploring the ACT and Southeast New South Wales'', J. Kay McDonald, Kangaroo Press, Sydney, 1985, p. 41

References

*Bright Sparcs
Weston, Thomas Charles George (1866–1935)
*

Notes

External links

1866 births 1935 deaths Australian horticulturists Weston, Thomas Charles Weston, Thomas Charles English emigrants to Australia Australian Members of the Order of the British Empire {{Australia-scientist-stub