[2] On 3 July 1914 and less than one month before the outbreak of the First World War, Hirschfeld was appointed by the Denham Ministry to the Queensland Legislative Council.

[1] In February 1916, Hirschfeld was interned at Enoggera then one week later transported to Liverpool, New South Wales, being held there until he was released due to ill-health in August 1917.

[2] Due in part to representations from John Monash, Hirschfeld was finally allowed to reenter Australia in 1927 and commenced practice at Wickham Terrace in Brisbane.

He eventually moved to the Darling Downs area, purchasing stations around Inglewood where he spent 15 years carrying out botanical research into improving the quality of pasture for raising sheep and cattle.

[2][4] On 21 April 1897, Hirschfeld married Annie Eliza Sarah Saddler at Holy Trinity Church, Kew, Melbourne, Victoria.