Author Description

John Clements Wickham was an important figure of the formative years of Brisbane. Today, he is largely forgotten. There is no written history specifically about him. There is no fitting reminder of the role he played as "First Citizen" for the first 17 years of Brisbane's existence as a free settlement. A chance visit to the town of Wickham on the remote north coast of Western Australia a few years ago gave rise to a desire to "find" him. It was a surprise discovery to learn that he had commanded a vessel which had carried out extensive surveys around the coast of Australia. As a navigator, his professional lineage went back directly to James Cook. More importantly for us, as Police Magistrate and Government Resident, he played a vital role in the early development of Brisbane.