Frederick Augustus Hely facts for kids

Frederick Augustus Hely was an important person in early Australia. He was born in County Tyrone, Ireland, in 1794 and passed away on September 8, 1836. His father was Colonel Forbes Francis Hely. Frederick worked for the government and was one of the first European settlers in parts of Australia.

Life in New South Wales

Frederick Hely married Georgina Lindsay Bucknell in 1812 when he was 18 years old. We don't know exactly when he first came to Australia. However, we do know that in early 1823, he was given an important job. He became the Principal Superintendent of Convicts in New South Wales.

Later in 1823, Hely arrived in Sydney with his wife and children. He then officially started his new job. He kept this important role for the rest of his life. He also held several other public positions.

• In 1825, he became a justice of the peace. This meant he could help with legal matters.
• In 1826, he was chosen as the president of the Board of Magistrates. This group made decisions about laws.
• The next year, he worked as the acting superintendent of police.
• In 1831, he joined the Assignment Board. This board helped decide where convicts would work.

In 1832, Hely wanted to become a magistrate at Brisbane Water. He had a farm and a home there called Wyoming Cottage. But instead, he was offered more money to stay as the Superintendent of Convicts. He was very good at this job, so they wanted him to continue. Two years later, Hely became a founding director of the Commercial Banking Company of Sydney.

Land and Settlement

In 1824, Frederick Hely was given almost 550 hectares of land. This land was at Narara, near Brisbane Water. He started a farm there and called it Wyoming. He was the first European person to settle there permanently. He also planted a special garden with citrus fruits.

Hely might have named his farm after the Wyoming Valley in Pennsylvania. This valley was famous from a poem called Gertrude of Wyoming by Thomas Campbell. This poem was written in 1809, long before the U.S. state of Wyoming got its name in 1865.

In 1829, Hely's land grew even bigger. He received more land in the areas of Ourimbah and Tuggerah. His land now covered about 1600 hectares.

One part of his land in Tuggerah caused a disagreement. A settler named William Cape had cleared some land and built a barn there. But he had not told the government about it. This land was later given to Hely.

The Darkinyung and Guringai peoples were the original owners of this land. By 1828, many of them had been affected by conflict and smallpox. Only a few families remained.

His Final Years

In 1836, Frederick Hely started to have health problems. Doctors suggested he should retire and receive a pension. However, he passed away before his pension could be approved. He died in Sydney from a sudden illness called apoplexy.

Frederick Hely was 42 years old when he died on September 8, 1836. He was survived by his wife and five children. He had three daughters and two sons.

His grave is located at 559 Pacific Highway, Wyoming. The words on his headstone say:

"IN MEMORY

OF

FREDERICK AUGUSTUS HELY ESQ

DIED 8th SEPTEMBER 1836

AGED 42 YEARS

HIS LOVED REMAINS LIE IN THIS SPOT

BY HIS OWN REQUEST"

Today, parts of Hely's old farm still exist. His former home, now called Wyoming Cottage, is still there. The old stables are now a house known as The Grange. And Hely's Grave is also preserved. All these places are listed on the New South Wales Heritage Register.

Images for kids

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  Grave of Frederick Augustus Hely, Wyoming, NSW, Australia

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  Inscription on the grave of Frederick Augustus Hely