Biographical entry Barney, George (1792 - 1862)

Summary

George Barney was the civil engineer for New South Wales 1836-44. Major projects for which he was responsible include a circular quay at Sydney Cove, military barracks in Paddington and Fort Denison (completed 1857).

Details

Born Woverhampton, England, 19 May 1792. Died Sydney, 16 April 1862. Second lieutenant, Royal Engineers 1808-13, captain 1813-25, several years experience of civil engineering, Jamaica, captain 1825; arrived Sydney 1835 with the Royal Engineers and given the duties of civil engineer, responsible for a circular quay at Sydney Cove, a breakwater at Newcastle, pier harbours at Wollongong and the defences of Sydney; major 1839; supervised the building of the Victoria Barracks from 1841; lieutenent colonel ca 1842; returned to England 1844-46; superintendent of a new convict colony in North Australia at Port Curtis 1846-47; chief commissioner of crown lands 1849-55; surveyor-general 1855-62. Chairman of Directors, Gaslight Co. and a trustee of the Savings Bank of New South Wales from 1841.

Published resources

Book Sections

• 'Barney, George (1792-1862), soldier and engineer', in Douglas Pike (ed.), Australian Dictionary of Biography, vol. 1, Melbourne University Press, Melbourne, 1966, pp. 60-61. Also available at http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A010058b.htm. Details

Online Resources

• National Library of Australia, 'Barney, George', Trove, National Library of Australia and the Australian National Maritime Museum Darling Harbour, 2009, http://nla.gov.au/nla.party-564544. Details

See also

• Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering, Technology in Australia 1788-1988, Online edn, Australian Science and Technology Heritage Centre, Melbourne, 3 May 2000, http://www.austehc.unimelb.edu.au/tia/scripts/tia-dynindex.php3?EID=P003361. Details