From his North Queensland property, Adel's Grove, de Lestang supplied seeds and plants to botanical gardens around the world.
[3] Born in Argentina to French-speaking parents, Albert de Lestang travelled around the world before settling in outback Queensland in the Gulf Country around 1920 taking up a freehold property in that region.
[4][5] Although there is no official confirmation, it is believed he was commissioned by the Queensland Government to experiment with the growing of tropical fruits and trees along Lawn Hill Creek.
[6][failed verification][7][8][9] A small portion of his botanical oasis and some remains of his irrigation system still exist at Adel's Grove, "The Frenchman's Garden" now a tourist camping site surrounded by Lawn Hill Station.
In a newspaper article in 1946 Mr. Trickett of Kew Gardens is quoted as saying De Lestang advised him that he ran away from his home in England following an argument with his father after a quarrel over a girl.
[11] An article in the Cairns Post of 10 October 1923 carries a letter from the geologist Edward Grey advising he is part of a private expedition under the leadership of De Lestang making a crossing of the Australian continent collecting scientific data.