Phillips, George (1843 - 1921)

Summary

George Phillips was a surveyor who accompanied William Landsdown on his expedition to Burketown in northern Queensland in 1866. As surveyor with the Queensland Lands Department Phillips did much work in the coastal areas north of Mackay. In 1884 he invented and patented a steel railway sleeper that could be used in terrain where termites and flooding made the usual sleepers untenable. These sleepers were used on a number of Queensland rail lines. From 1895 Phillips was involved in the surveying, engineering and construction of tramways, and in 1909 reported to the Government on railways and ports in the Gulf country. In later years he was concerned with water supply and flood mitigation issues for Brisbane and its River. Phillips served one term in the Queensland Legislative Assembly.

Details

Chronology

1852

Life event - Migrated to New South Wales with his family

1862

Career event - Joined the Queensland Roads Department

1863 - 1866

Career position - Surveyor with the Queensland Lands and Works Department

1866 - 1879

Career position - Surveyor with the Queensland Lands Department

1879 - 1886

Career position - Inspector of Surveys in the Southern Division, Queensland Rail

1886 -

Career position - In private surveying practice

1893 - 1896

Career position - Member for Carpentaria in Queensland Legislative Assembly

1896 -

Career position - Inspector of Artesian Bores, Queensland Government

1904 -

Career position - Member, Brisbane Board of Waterworks

1905

Career position - President, Queensland Institute of Surveyors

Related entries

Published resources

Resources

• 'Phillips, George (1843-19210602)', Trove, National Library of Australia, 2009, https://nla.gov.au/nla.party-1772603. Details