ALEXANDER COLLIE

1793 - 1835

Born in Aberdeenshire, Scotland on June 2nd 1793, to Alexander Collie Sr. and his wife Christina, (Nee Leslie). Alexander attended Edinburgh University and studied medicine. Alexander had two older brothers.

After failing to get a post with the East India Company, Collie joined the Royal Navy and was first posted to the frigate Doris that sailed to Tenerife, China, and the East Indies. During this voyage he received a £350 share of prize money from the captured ship Hunter of Boston. His next posting was to the sloop Gannet and then to H.M.S. Blossom from 1825 to 1828, where he acted a the expedition's Naturtalist. He was well travelled before coming to Australia and had visited; Mexico, California, the Sandwich Islands, Tenerife, China, Kamchatka, Formosa and the East Indies among others.

Collie was appointed surgeon aboard the HMS Sulphur that sailed with the Parmelia to the Swan River Colony.

Collie was granted land in the new colony made up of 607ha at Swan River and and 202ha at Albany.

On his arrival Dr. Collie joined Lt. Preston on a journey from Cockburn Sound to Geographe Bay in November 1829. They discovered two rivers later named by Gov. Stirling the Collie and Preston.

In 1830 Gov. Stirling appointed Collie to investigate the conditions at the Peel estates where there had been 28 deaths and a great deal of sickness. Collie's report stated that Thomas Peel's handling of his estate was incompetent which led to government assistance being supplied to the settlers caught up in the debacle.

Later Collie took up a post in Albany and during the time he was there (1831-32) made a further two exploratory trips. After 18 months he returned to Perth where he had a house built on St. Georges Tce. He was appointed Colonial Surgeon for the Swan River Colony and served in that capacity from 1833 to 1835.

Dr. Collie suffered from T.B. and as his condition worsened he boarded H.M.S. Zebra heading for Sydney where he hoped to be treated for the condition. He was too ill to complete the journey and came ashore at Albany where he died on November 8th 1835.

His last wish was to be buried next to his friend Mokare, an Aboriginal guide who he had met and became firm friends with when he was in the town in 1831.

Chronology

1793 - Born in Aberdeenshire, Scotland on June 2nd.

1813 - Admitted F.R.C.S. after studying surgery in London.

1824 - Appointed to H.M.S. Blossom.

1829 - Arrived in W.A. aboard the HMS Sulphur

1829 - November 17th. He set out to explore the south-west with Lt. Preston.

1830 - Governor Stirling appointed him to investigate conditions on the Peel estate.

1831 - Appointed justice of the peace. First government resident at Albany.

1833 - Appointed Colonial Surgeon for the Swan River Colony.

1834 - Built a grand house on St. George's Tce.

1835 - Died at George Cheyne's house in Albany.

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