Sir Thomas Makdougall Brisbane was born in Largs in 1773. He studied astronomy and mathematics at the University of Edinburgh before joining 1st Staffordshire Regiment of Foot in 1789 where he had a distinguished career. In 1819 Thomas married Anna Maria Hay Makdougall of Mackerstoun, Roxburghshire. On 1stDecember 1821 he was appointed, on the recommendation of the Duke of Wellington, whom he had served under, 6th Governor of New South Wales, Australia – taking over from another Scot, Lachlan Macquarie.
When he first arrived in Australia, while waiting for Governor Mcquarie to finalise his affairs, Thomas had the first, properly equipped Australian observatory built at Parramatta. It recorded the stars of the Southern Hemisphere and also rediscovered Encke’s comet in 1822.
In 1822 he introduced a system under which the grantees of every 100 acres of land would maintain, free of expense to the crown, one convict labourer. He also encouraged agriculture on government land and 1823 introduced a system of calling for supplies by tender. In the same year he sent Lieutenant John Oxley to find a new site for convicts who were repeat offenders. Oxley discovered a large river flowing into Moreton Bay and convicts were sent there. In 1824 this new colony and the river were named after Brisbane.
Unfortunately Brisbane was unable to solve the constant faction fights which had plagued previous Governors and he was re-called to England. He left Sydney in December 1825.
Sir Thomas Brisbane died in Largs on 27 January 1860 and was buried in the family vault next to the remains of Largs Old Kirk (behind Largs Museum). His four children had pre-deceased him. One notable legacy – he had a crater on the moon named after him.
