John Strachan

Who was John Strachan?

John Strachan was a Scottish-born Australian shipmaster and explorer.

Born in Montrose, Scotland, to engineer John Strachan and Sarah, née Delarne, Strachan's family moved to England in 1853 where he studied engineering before running away to sea, fighting for the Union in the American Civil War, sailing on the trade routes from India to Japan, whaling in the Arctic, advising the Prince of Higo in Japan, and managing guano workings on Baker Island. He arrived in Tasmania on 25 April 1872 as mate of the Rita, and on 3 March 1875 married Alice Sarah Henrietta Plummer at Launceston. He worked at Bird Island in the Coral Sea managing more guano workings and visited Torres Strait in September 1875.

Subsequently Strachan established himself in Sydney before becoming New Guinea correspondent for the Age, embarking on an exploratory trip down the Mai Kassa River on 6 May 1884 which resulted in considerable fighting with the indigenous people and the death of one of Strachan's companions; his use of an improvised torpedo provoked widespread condemnation in Sydney.