P000088 revised AU-VU:EOAS Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation

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 English AACR2 Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules Person created 1993-10-20 human McCarthy, G.J. updated 2026-01-23 human https://www.eoas.info/biogs/P000088b.htm person Curran John Milne AACR2 Curran, Michael 1859 29 June 1928 Place of Birth Clonmel, Ireland Place of Death Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Geologist Minister of religion John Curran adopted the name Michael for much of his adult life. He was a priest, geologist and lecturer in New South Wales during the 1880s and 1890s. Curran published many geographical reports in the top publications of the time and was awarded a travelling lectureship in the Department of Public Instruction. His book The Geology of Sydney and the Blue Mountains which was published in 1899 became the standard reference for this area.

Curran migrated to Australia in around 1875 as part of a drive to set up a seminary to train Australian and Irish priests of the diocesan clergy. During his six years at the Bathurst seminary, Curran became interested in geology - a passion he never lost. He was ordained in 1881 and sent to Dubbo as the diocese's school inspector. While in Dubbo Michael Curran began detailed geological research and his article On fossil plants from Dubbo was published in the prestigious Linnean Society's Proceedings. His other publications and surveys dealt with the geology and petrology of Bathurst and other areas and included studies on leucite-basalt rocks and carboniferous and Silurian fossils.

Michael Curran had built a strong reputation as an outstanding geologist, so was appointed lecturer in geology and mineralogy at Sydney Technical College (1897-1902). During this time he still maintained his clergy duties at Bathurst and went on numerous field trips. After leaving the University, Curran was appointed government geologist.

c. 1875 c. 1875 Life event - Migrated to Australia (New South Wales) 1875 1881 Education - Student at St Charles Borromeo Seminary in Bathurst 1881 1884 Career position - Inspector of Schools of the Bathurst diocese, New South Wales 1885 1885 Career position - Priest in the Cobar mining district c. 1886 Career position - Priest of the Bathurst diocese including Dubbo 1891 1891 Award - Royal Society of New South Wales Medal 1894 1894 Career position - Geological survey of the Bungonis natural mineral spring 1896 1896 Award - Royal Society of New South Wales Medal and travelling lectureship - for the paper "Contribution to the microscopic structure of some Australian Rocks" c. 1897 1902 Career position - Lecturer in Geology and Mineralogy, Sydney Technical College 1899 1899 Publication - "The Geology of Sydney and the Blue Mountains", published in Sydney 1903 Career position - Government Geologist in New South Wales Royal Society of New South Wales Medal (1884 - )

Awarded the Medal 1891 and 1896

 Sydney Technical College (1878 - 1992)

Curran was a lecturer in Geology and Mineralogy Sydney Technical College from 1897 to 1902.

Wikidata

 Curran, John Milne (1859-1928)

Trove

 'Curran, John Milne', in Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation, Centre for Transformative Innovation, Swinburne University of Technology Curran, John Milne Swinburne University of Technology, Centre for Transformative Innovation Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation Journal Article: On a Natural Mineral Spring at Bungonia Curran, J. Milne On a Natural Mineral Spring at Bungonia Sydney Acting Government Printer 1894 Journal and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New South Wales 28 54-59 Book Section: Curran, John (Michael) Milne (1859-1928), priest and geologist Duffy, C. J. Curran, John (Michael) Milne (1859-1928), priest and geologist Melbourne Melbourne University Press 1969 Australian dictionary of biography, volume 3: 1851 - 1890 A-C Douglas Pike 508-509 Book: The geology of Sydney and the Blue Mountains: a popular introduction to the study of geoogy Curran, J. Milne The geology of Sydney and the Blue Mountains: a popular introduction to the study of geoogy 2nd Sydney Angus & Robertson 1899 Curran, John (Michael) Milne (1859-1928) Powerhouse Museum Curran, John (Michael) Milne (1859-1928) MRS 4, MRS 202 1887 - 1894 Correspondence between Curran and the Museum's Curator, J.H. Maiden.