- Henry Hellyer
Henry Hellyer (born
1790 -2 September 1832 ) was a European explorer who was one of the first explorers to visit the rugged interior of the north west ofTasmania ,Australia .Early life
Hellyer was born in
Hampshire ,England . He was the third child out of eleven born to John Hellyer, amerchant . He worked as an architect and surveyor, and when theVan Diemen's Land Company was formed in 1825 he was one of thefirst officer s to sign on. His build was generally tall and thin.Work and exploration
He was the chief surveyor of the Van Diemen's Land Company. Along with
Richard Frederick andIsaac Cutts , he travelled fromCircular Head toSt Valentines Peak and back, in February 1827.In 1831 he became the first European to reach the summit of
Cradle Mountain . A year later, he unexpectedly committed suicide on2 September 1832 .Legacy
Although Henry Hellyer had no descendants, his nephew William Hellyer migrated to
New South Wales about 1838, and many Australian Hellyers are descended from him.Hellyer Gorge ,Hellyer River , andHellyer College are named after him. There is also Hellyer Musesum in Burnie, Tasmania; and his journals are held in the Tasmanian State Library.References
* [http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A010489b.htm Entry in the Australian Dictionary of Biography at the Australian National University]
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