Thomas Austin facts for kids
Thomas Austin (born 1815 – died 15 December 1871) was an English person who moved to Australia. He is mostly known for bringing rabbits to Australia in 1859. Even though some rabbits were already in Australia, his actions led to a huge rabbit problem.
Thomas Austin's Life Story
Thomas Austin was born in Baltonsborough, England. He was the youngest son of John and Nancy Austin. In 1831, he moved with his family to Hobart Town in Van Diemen's Land (which is now Tasmania).
He helped set up the first ferry service across the Derwent River. This was with his uncle and cousin in the area now called Austin's Ferry.
After farming near Ouse, Thomas and his brother James moved across Bass Strait in 1837. They became early farmers in the Western District of the Port Phillip District (now known as Victoria).
In 1845, Thomas married Elizabeth Phillips Harding (1821–1910) in Melbourne. They had 11 children together.
Barwon Park Estate
Thomas Austin bought land near Winchelsea, Victoria starting in 1837. He eventually created a large property called Barwon Park. It was about 29,000 acres (11,736 hectares) in size. The land was used for raising sheep and training horses.
In 1871, a large bluestone mansion that Austin had designed was finished on his property. This beautiful house is now owned by the National Trust of Australia. It is open for people to visit. Thomas Austin died six months after the mansion was completed. His wife, Elizabeth, continued to live there. She was a kind person who helped start the Austin Hospital in Heidelberg. She also helped create the Austin Homes for Women in Geelong.
Bringing New Animals to Australia
Thomas Austin was a member of the Acclimatisation Society of Victoria. This group aimed to bring many different animals and plants from England to Australia. In 1861, he wrote that he had brought hares, blackbirds, and thrushes. He also mentioned that he was breeding English wild rabbits and partridges.
In October 1859, he released 24 breeding rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) on his land in southern Australia, near Melbourne. He did this so people could hunt them for sport. At the time, many people thought his efforts were a good idea. However, he is now often blamed for introducing this pest to Australia. The rabbits multiplied very quickly and caused huge problems for the environment and farms.
