Captain
Charles James Tyers RN FRSV (13 September 1806–20 September 1870) was a 19th century
surveyor and
explorer, and the Commissioner for
Crown Lands for
Portland (1841) and
Gippsland (1844). He was born in London, the son of John Tyers and his wife Elizabeth née Theobald.
There are many geographical features named after him, including
Tyers,
Tyers Junction,
Western Tyers,
Tyers River,
Mount Tyers, and
Lake Tyers. His many achievements include the surveying and naming of
Port Essington (1839), the determination of the border between
South Australia and
Victoria, naming the
Baw Baw plateau, and being the first European (in 1841) to climb
Mount Emu and
Mount Buninyong in the
Western District of Victoria.
Early career
After an education at Christ's Hospital he entered the navy in 1828. He served under Admiral
Lord Lyons on the
Blonde and Captain Bremer on the
Alligator. He made a study of marine surveying and computed longitudes in the Channel, Mediterranean, West Indies and South Africa becoming recognized as an expert and in 1837 he was commissioned to survey the
Port Essington area of northern Australia. He reached the rank of Captain, but before he was given a command he left the navy in 1839 to join the colonial service.
Commissioner for Crown Lands for Portland
Following the establishment of the state of South Australia in 1836, the region between the coast and the Murray River was rapidly being settled by squatters selecting large runs for sheep...
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