Thomas Watson

Who is Thomas Watson?

Thomas Watson was a surveyor and early settler of the Swan River Colony in what is now Western Australia.

Little is known of his early life, but he was trained as a surveyor before arriving at the Swan River Colony as part of Thomas Peel's settlement scheme, on board the Gilmore in 1830. He brought surveying instruments with him, but at first he did not seek surveying work, preferring to establish himself as a farmer upon his grant. However most of his possessions were destroyed by a bushfire, and within a year he was forced to take other work in order to survive. He worked primarily as a contract surveyor for the government, and also did some saw-milling.

In 1834, Watson moved to the town of Mandurah, in order to participate in the extensive surveys scheduled for the Leschenault district. He was involved in several large surveys, including the original survey of the Bunbury town site, along with work in York and Mandurah itself. Evidence suggests that at least some of Watson's work was inferior in quality. Some of his surveys had to be re-done by others, and his Bunbury plans were discarded.