P003483 revised AU-VU:EOAS Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation

All key entry types: Awards; Concepts; Corporate Bodies (Organisations); Cultural Artefacts; People; etc

These key entries are listed separately below with other indexes and lists.

 English AACR2 Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules Person created 2001-05-25 human Rosanne Walker; Ken McInnes updated 2026-05-06 human https://www.eoas.info/biogs/P003483b.htm person de Burgh Ernest Macartney AACR2 18 January 1863 4 April 1929 Place of Birth Sandymount, Dublin, Ireland Place of Death Vaucluse, New South Wales, Australia Civil engineer Ernest de Burgh was chief engineer for harbours and water-supply in New South Wales 1909-1927. During this time he was responsible for the design and construction of the Cordeaux, Avon and Nepean dams (Sydney water-supply); the Chichester scheme for Newcastle; and the Umberumberka scheme for Broken Hill and prepared the original plans for Canberra's water-supply. Before that, he designed and supervised the construction of many large timber and metal truss bridges, including what became know as the 'de Burgh Truss'.

Associated Engineering Works:

1885-1886. Sydney sewerage:
* Cooks River Syphon.

1886-1903. Bridges:
* Taemas road bridge, Murrumbidgee river;
* Snowy river road bridge;
* Wilcannia Bridge, Murray river;
* Wentworth Bridge, Murray river;
* Albury Bridge, Murray river;
* Corowa Bridge, Murray river.
* Mulwala Bridge, Murrumbidgee river;
* Koondrook Bridge, Murray river;
* Swan Hill Bridge, Murray river;
* Wagga Wagga Bridge, Murrumbidgee river;
* Darlington Point Bridge, Murrumbidgee river;
* Singleton Bridge, Hunter river;
* Morpeth Bridge, Hunter river;
* Kempsey Bridge, Macleay river;
* Murwillumbah Bridge, Tweed river;
* de Burgh Bridge, Lane Cove river.

1903-1909. Water Supply Dams (assistant to L.A.B. Wade):
* Cataract Dam construction;
* Burrinjuck Dam;
* Murrumbidgee irrigation scheme, preparatory design.

1909-1927. Harbours, Water Supply and Sewerage:
* Sydney water supply scheme;
* Cordeaux Dam, sydney water supply;
* Avon Dam;
* Nepean Dam;
* Newcastle, Chichester water supply scheme;
* Broken Hill, Umberumberka water supply scheme;
* Port Kembla harbour works.

* 1921-1925. Canberra water supply, design.

1881 1881 Education - First Royal Scholarship, Royal College of Science, Ireland 1883 1883 Education - Diploma of Engineering, Science and Arts Department, Royal College of Science, Ireland 1885 1885 Life event - Emigrated to New South Wales, Australia 1885 1886 Career position - Engineer, Public Works Department, New South Wales, under W. C. Bennett 1886 1903 Career position - Assistant engineer, Public Works Department, New South Wales 15 May 1888 15 May 1888 Career event - Associate Member (AssocMInstCE), Institution of Civil Engineers, London 20 Nov 1894 20 Nov 1894 Career event - Member (MInstCE), Institution of Civil Engineers, London 1903 1909 Career position - Principal Assistant engineer, Rivers and Water Supply, Public Works Department, New South Wales, under L. A. B. Wade. 1904 1904 Career event - Visited Europe to study dam construction and water supply 1909 1927 Career position - Chief Engineer, Harbours, Water Supply and Sewerage, Public Works Department, New South Wales 1919 1919 Career event - Foundation Associate Member (AMIEAust), Institution of Engineers Australia 1920 1920 Career event - Member (MIEAust), Institution of Engineers Australia 1921 1925 Career position - Member, Capital Advisory Committee. Planned Canberra's water supply. 1927 1927 Life event - Retired Farnsworth, Samuel Thomas (1886 - 1948)

Samuel Farnsworth was resident engineer, for the construction of Cordeaux, Avon and Nepean Dams, under the direction of E.M. de Burgh

 Dare, Henry Harvey (1867 - 1949)

Ernest de Burgh MInstCE endorsed Henry Dare's nomination for MInstCE in 1911.

 McKinney, Hugh Giffen (1846 - 1930)

Hugh McKinney MInstCE endorsed Ernest de Burgh's nomination for MInstCE, 1892.

 Warren, William Henry (1852 - 1926)

William Warren MInstCE endorsed Ernest de Burgh's nomination for MInstCE, 1892.

 Bennett, William Christopher (1824 - 1889)

William Bennett MInstCE proposed Ernest de Burgh's nomination for AssocMInstCE, 1888.

 Cutler, Arthur Edward (1863 - 1935)

Edward de Burgh, MInstCE endorsed Arthur Cutler's nomination for AssocMInstCE in 1900 and MInstCE 1913

Wikidata

VIAF - Virtual International Authority File

 de Burgh, Ernest Macartney (18630118-19290404)

Trove

 'de Burgh, Ernest Macartney', in Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation, Centre for Transformative Innovation, Swinburne University of Technology de Burgh, Ernest Macartney Swinburne University of Technology, Centre for Transformative Innovation Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation Edited Book: The timber truss bridge book Coltheart, Lenore; and Nicholas, Amie The timber truss bridge book Auburn, N.S.W. Transport for NSW 2019 Journal Article: Tathra Wharf Anon Tathra Wharf 2008 Newsletter of Engineering Heritage Australia 21 December 2008 1 Edited Book: Anything is possible: 100 Australian engineering leaders Engineers Australia Anything is possible: 100 Australian engineering leaders Barton, A.C.T. Institution of Engineers, Australia 2019 Book Section: De Burgh, Ernest Macartney (1863-1929), civil engineer Antill, J. M. De Burgh, Ernest Macartney (1863-1929), civil engineer Melbourne Melbourne University Press 1981 Australian dictionary of biography, volume 8: 1891 - 1939 Cl-Gib Bede Nairn and Geoffrey Serle 266 Journal Article: Belt conveyor coal loading plant at Port Kembla, New South Wales (Illustrated) de Burgh, E. M. Belt conveyor coal loading plant at Port Kembla, New South Wales (Illustrated) 1916 Commonwealth Engineer 4 5 124-131 Resource: Civil Engineer Membership Forms, 1818-1930 Institution of Civil Engineers, London Civil Engineer Membership Forms, 1818-1930 ancestry.com Journal Article: E. M. De Burgh : The man behind the name E. M. De Burgh : The man behind the name 1976 Main Roads - Journal of the Department of Main Roads, New South Wales 41 4 127 Edited Book: Biographical Dictionary of Civil Engineers in Great Britain and Ireland, Volume 3: 1890-1920 Chrimes, M. M.; Cox, R. C.; Cross-Rudkin, P. S. M.; Elton, J. M. H.; Hurst, B. L.; McWilliam, R. C.; Rennison, R. W.; Sutherland, R. J. M.; Thomas, R. E. Biographical Dictionary of Civil Engineers in Great Britain and Ireland, Volume 3: 1890-1920 London, United Kingdom Thomas Telford Publishing 2014 Book: A Century of Canberra Engineering Baker, Keith A Century of Canberra Engineering Barton, Australian Capital Territory Engineers Australia, Canberra Division 2013 Book Section: Chapter 5: Bridges Fraser, Don Chapter 5: Bridges Crows Nest, New South Wales Engineers Australia 1989 Sydney: from settlement to city: an engineering history of Sydney Don Fraser 97-122 Book: Dictionary of Australian biography Serle, Percival Dictionary of Australian biography Sydney Angus & Robertson 1949 Journal Article: Flashback - 75 years ago : First De Burghs bridge opened Flashback - 75 years ago : First De Burghs bridge opened 1976 Main Roads - Journal of the Department of Main Roads, New South Wales 41 4 125-127 Journal Article: History and Development of Port Kembla Spooner, E. S. (Hon.) History and Development of Port Kembla 1938 Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia 10 8 279-293 Edited Book: Wonders never cease: 100 Australian engineering achievements Engineers Australia Wonders never cease: 100 Australian engineering achievements Barton, Australian Capital Territory Institution of Engineers, Australia 2019 Resource: Technology in Australia 1788-1988 Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering Technology in Australia 1788-1988 Online Melbourne Australian Science and Technology Heritage Centre 2000