Meston, Archibald, 1851-1924

Queensland newspaper editor, explorer and amateur ethnologist who had a lifetime interest in Aboriginal culture and the languages of the indigenous people, Meston spent his childhood on a farm near Ulmarra in the Clarence River district of New South Wales, but most of his adult life in Queensland. From 1878 to 1883 he represented Rosewood in State Parliament. Following editorial appointments with the Ipswich Observer, the Toowoomba Chronicle and the Townsville Herald, he came to Cairns early in 1882 as editor of the Cairns Chronicle. This was the beginning of a six-year tropical interlude in which he sought to further his career through regional politics and investments in the sugar industry, then undergoing its major expansion in the north. Meston's public life in Cairns began promisingly when he led the lobbying to secure the rail connection to the Tableland for the Barron Valley route and was elected Chairman of the Divisional Board. However he did not succeed in reactivating his career in politics. Between 1889 and 1904 he led four expeditions into the Bellenden Ker Ranges. Meston's "Report on the Aboriginals of Queensland" was the basis of the Aboriginal Protection Act of 1897, the law which regulated Queensland's indigenous people into the 1970s. As Southern Protector until 1903 he helped to establish the system of reserves provided for by the Act. His actions as Protector, especially in respect of the Fraser Island Reserve, were controversial. With an interval in Sydney from 1909 as Director of the Queensland Intelligence and Tourist Bureau, Meston continued in Brisbane as Government consultant and free-lance journalist until his death from tetanus on 11 March 1924. Meston's many publications over his fifty-year career as a journalist helped to shape attitudes to Queensland and its indigenous people, both within and outside the State.a Á̀.

From the description of Articles published in newspapers [manuscript]. ca.1923-1924. (Libraries Australia). WorldCat record id: 225475015

Archibald Meston was a journalist, poet, botanist, historian, politician (MLA Rosewood 1878-1882) and amatuer ethnologist. He was also appointed Protector of Aborigines 1897-1903, a position later held by his son Harold. Meston had a lifetime interest in Aboriginal culture and the languages of the indigenous people and his 'Report on the Aboriginals of Queensland' was the basis of the Aboriginal Protection Act of 1897, the law which regulated Queensland's indigenous people into the 1970s. His actions as Protector, especially in respect of the Fraser Island Reserve, were often controversial.

From the description of OM90-63 Archibald and Harold Meston Papers, 1895-1951. (Libraries Australia). WorldCat record id: 755715681

Journalist. First head of Queensland Sub-department of Native Affairs, 1898-1904. Led first party to climb Bellenden-Ker Range.

From the description of Papers. (Libraries Australia). WorldCat record id: 225758256

Queensland newspaper editor, explorer and amateur ethnologist who had a lifetime interest in Aboriginal culture and the languages of the indigenous people, Meston spent his childhood on a farm near Ulmarra in the Clarence River district of New South Wales but most of his adult life in Queensland. From 1878 to 1883 he represented Rosewood in State Parliament. Following editorial appointments with the Ipswich Observer, the Toowoomba Chronicle and the Townsville Herald, he came to Cairns early in 1882 as editor of the Cairns Chronicle. This was the beginning of a six-year tropical interlude in which he sought to further his career through regional politics and investments in the sugar industry, then undergoing its major expansion in the north. Meston's public life in Cairns began promisingly when he led the lobbying to secure the rail connection to the Tableland for the Barron Valley route and was elected Chairman of the Divisional Board. However he did not succeed in reactivating his career in politics. Between 1889 and 1904 he led four expeditions into the Bellenden Ker Ranges. Meston's "Report on the Aboriginals of Queensland" was the basis of the Aboriginal Protection Act of 1897, the law which regulated Queensland's indigenous people into the 1970s. As Southern Protector until 1903 he helped to establish the system of reserves provided for by the Act. His actions as Protector, especially in respect of the Fraser Island Reserve, were controversial. With an interval in Sydney from 1909 as Director of the Queensland Intelligence and Tourist Bureau, Meston continued in Brisbane as Government consultant and free-lance journalist until his death from tetanus on 11 March 1924. Meston's many publications over his fifty-year career as a journalist helped to shape attitudes to Queensland and its indigenous people, both within and outside the State.

From the description of Papers, [1895?-1904?] [manuscript] [1895?-1904?] (The University of Queensland Library). WorldCat record id: 62540862

From the description of Papers [manuscript]. [1895?-1904?] (Libraries Australia). WorldCat record id: 225473481

Archibald Meston was a journalist, poet, botanist, historian, politician (MLA Rosewood 1878-1882) and amateur ethnologist. He was also appointed Protector of Aborigines 1897-1903, a position later held by his son Harold. Meston had a lifetime interest in Aboriginal culture and the languages of the indigenous people and his 'Report on the Aboriginals of Queensland' was the basis of the Aboriginal Protection Act of 1897, the law which regulated Queensland's indigenous people into the 1970s. His actions as Protector, especially in respect of the Fraser Island Reserve, were often controversial.

From the description of OM64-17 Archibald Meston Papers, Undated. (Libraries Australia). WorldCat record id: 755719183

From the description of OM72-82 Archibald Meston Papers, 1923-1924. (Libraries Australia). WorldCat record id: 755734818

Queensland newspaper editor, explorer and amateur ethnologist who had a lifetime interest in Aboriginal culture and the languages of the indigenous people, Meston spent his childhood on a farm near Ulmarra in the Clarence River district of New South Wales, but most of his adult life in Queensland. From 1878 to 1883 he represented Rosewood in State Parliament. Following editorial appointments with the Ipswich Observer, the Toowoomba Chronicle and the Townsville Herald, he came to Cairns early in 1882 as editor of the Cairns Chronicle. This was the beginning of a six-year tropical interlude in which he sought to further his career through regional politics and investments in the sugar industry, then undergoing its major expansion in the north. Meston's public life in Cairns began promisingly when he led the lobbying to secure the rail connection to the Tableland for the Barron Valley route and was elected Chairman of the Divisional Board. However he did not succeed in reactivating his career in politics. Between 1889 and 1904 he led four expeditions into the Bellenden Ker Ranges. Meston's "Report on the Aboriginals of Queensland" was the basis of the Aboriginal Protection Act of 1897, the law which regulated Queensland's indigenous people into the 1970s. As Southern Protector until 1903 he helped to establish the system of reserves provided for by the Act. His actions as Protector, especially in respect of the Fraser Island Reserve, were controversial. With an interval in Sydney from 1909 as Director of the Queensland Intelligence and Tourist Bureau, Meston continued in Brisbane as Government consultant and free-lance journalist until his death from tetanus on 11 March 1924. Meston's many publications over his fifty-year career as a journalist helped to shape attitudes to Queensland and its indigenous people, both within and outside the State.

From the description of Articles published in newspapers, ca.1923-1924 [manuscript] ca.1923-1924. (The University of Queensland Library). WorldCat record id: 62540868