John Ross (explorer)

John Ross (May 17 1817 – February 5 1903 was a Scottish Australian drover and explorer.

Ross was born in Bridgend, Scotland. He emigrated to Australia in 1837, arriving in Sydney on August 31, 1837. He first gained employment as a shepherd for George Macleay and in 1838 he joined Charles Bonney in the first cattle drive from the Goulburn River to Adelaide. In South Australia he successfully managed several large sheep properties and conducted exploration of the area.

In 1869 he explored the Stevenson River to Eringa and Mount Humphries; he named the mountains after his children, Sarah, Rebecca, Alexander and John. In 1870 his then employer Thomas Elder recommended Ross' service to Charles Todd, the colony's superintendent of telegraphs and government astronomer. Todd employed Ross to lead exploration of the route for the Australian Overland Telegraph Line. Ross' party ventured across the MacDonnell Ranges, the Simpson Desert, the Phillipson and Giles creeks and the Fergusson Ranges; they also discovered the Todd River. In March 1871 he discovered and named Alice Springs, however he found out that W. W. Mills has been there before him. The party eventually made their way to Darwin.

Ross was employed by Elder to explore between Peake and Perth. He failed due to lack of fresh water. He went on the manage properties in Victoria and Queensland, later returning to Norwood in Central Australia. He died in Norwood after a fall in 1903.

References

*G. W. Symes, [http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A060067b.htm Ross, John (1817 - 1903)] , "Australian Dictionary of Biography", Volume 6, Melbourne University Press, 1976, pp 60-61.