Date of Birth: 25/09/1815
Place of Birth: Warthill, Aberdeenshire, Scotland
Date of Death: 12/08/1881
Place of Death: Milsons Point, New South Wales, Australia
Parliamentary Service
| Member for Moreton, Wide Bay, Burnett and Maranoa |
19 Nov 1857 |
19 Dec 1857 |
1 month 1 day |
|
| Member of the NSW Legislative Assembly |
19 Nov 1857 |
19 Dec 1857 |
1 month 1 day |
|
Qualifications, occupations and interests
Pioneer and grazier. Educated at Aberdeen College. Sailed and arrived in Sydney from London in May 1834. Learned flock management and colonial agricultural techniques from Macarthurs at Camden. In 1836 became the manager of a property, leased land in the Hunter Valley and rented a farm in Penrith. Explored Darling Downs in 1840 and settled there. Was ruined financially by 1844. Settled in New South Wales with squatting interests. Purchased land in Brisbane and built what became known as Newstead House, where he lived while pasturing flocks on Canning Downs, now owned by his brothers. Settled in New Zealand and retired to Sydney. Leader of the Moreton Bay separation movement on Darling Downs. Father of stud breeding in Queensland.
Membership of other Parliaments & Offices Held
Local Government Activity
Personal
Second son of William Leslie, laird of Warthill and Folla in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, and his wife Jane Davidson. Married Catherine Hawkins Macarthur on 9 September 1840 and had issue, 1 son.
Additional Information
Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 2
Personal papers in the Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales:
Leslie family - papers, 1840 - 1853 (A 4094)
