William Blandowski was appointed Government Zoologist in 1854, joining what was the Museum of Natural History (later the National Museum of Victoria). He was the first zoologist appointed by the Victorian Government, although his scientific expertise ranged over geology, physical geography and other disciplines. After arriving in South Australia in 1849, where he made extensive natural history collections around the Adelaide region, he moved to Victoria mid-1850 and spent some time on the goldfields. In his official capacity Blandowski made collecting excursions through central Victoria and to the southeast of Melbourne, travelling as far as Philip Island and Cape Shank. He was leader of the Murray River Expedition, his instructions being to investigate the natural history of the district and collect as many specimens as possible for the Museum of Natural History. Among his colleagues on the Expedition was naturalist Gerard Krefft. Later assessment of Blandowski's fieldwork was that he was not always careful in the labelling of his specimens. Blandowski was active in local scientific circles in Melbourne, being a foundation member of the short-lived Geological Society, and serving on the council of the Philosophical Society of Victoria. He was not noted for getting along with his fellow colonists, either on the Expedition, or in the public service or the Philosophical Institute of Victoria. After on-going difficulties with Frederick McCoy, Director of the National Museum of Victoria, and being threatened with legal action for not handing to the Government all his specimens and illustrations from the Expedition, Blandowski returned to Europe in 1859. The fish genera Blandowskius and Blandowskiella were named in his honour.
Blandowski sent the botanical specimens he collected in South Australia to German botanist Joachim Steetz. They became part of the Botanical Museum of Melbourne (later the National Herbarium of Victoria) when, in 1863, Steetz's collections were purchased from his widow by the Victorian Government Botanist, Ferdinand Mueller.
In his paper "Preliminary report on recent discoveries in natural history of the lower Murray", Blandowski described new species of fish from the Expedition. Published in the Transactions of the Philosophical Institute of Victoria, sections of the paper was withdrawn by the Council before publication because of perceived discourtesy to those members of Council after whom he proposed to name some of the new species.
Blandowski's title while in the employ of the Victorian Government is unclear. He is variously described as Government Zoologist, Colonial Naturalist or Curator of the museum, while his rank within the Surveyor General's Department, to which the Museum of Natural History belonged, was Assistant Surveyor.
1834
1836
Career position - Entered the Royal Prussian Cadets at Chelmno (Kulm)
1849
1849
Life event - Arrived in South Australia
1850
1850
Life event - Moved to Victoria
1852
1852
Career position - Co-founder of the Geological Society of Victoria
1854
1855
Career position - Collecting expeditions to the coastal areas of Victoria and the region of McIvor (Heathcote) and the Black Ranges
1854
1855
Career position - Co-founder of the Philosophical Society of Victoria
1854
1858
Career position - Government Zoologist, Museum of Natural History
1856
1857
Career position - Leader of the Murray River Expedition
1856
1858
Career position - Member of Council, Philosophical Institute of Victoria
1857
1857
Career event - Preliminary report on recent discoveries in natural history on the Lower Murray presented to the Philosophical Society of Victoria
1857
1859
Award - Life Member, Philosophical Institute of Victoria
1859
Award - Life member, Royal Society of Victoria
1859
1859
Life event - Left Australia for Germany