James Smith

Who was James Smith?

James Smith was a politician, goldminer, explorer and discoverer of tin reserves in Tasmania, Australia including the Mount Bischoff mine.

Smith was born at Georgetown, Van Diemen's Land, second of three children of John Smith and his wife Ann, née Grant. When James Smith was five years old, his father was shot dead and his mother later re-married. Smith was educated at Launceston, and after working for some time managing a flour-mill there, he went to the Victorian gold diggings in 1852. Returning in 1853 Smith took up one square mile of forested land at Westwood between the Forth River and Leven River. After making this his headquarters Smith began exploring and prospecting. There was barren and mountainous country to the south of his home, and Smith had to endure many privations. He discovered gold on the Forth River, copper on the west side of the Leven River, and silver and iron ore at Penguin.

On 4 December 1871 Smith discovered a large deposit of tin oxide near the summit of Mount Bischoff. His specimens when smelted yielded the first tin found in Tasmania, but it took some time for the importance of the find to be realised.