Captain George Barney, Commanding Royal Engineer of New South Wales, arrived at Sydney on the British Sovereign with his wife and three children on 15 December 1835,[9] with instructions that he was also to take charge of and superintend the buildings belonging to the military, and convict departments.

Bourke stated in February 1836 that Barney was engaged in removing obstructions to the navigation of the Parramatta River, and asked that leave might be granted him to undertake the duty of colonial engineer at a salary of £500 a year plus travelling charges.

In January 1843 Gipps spoke very highly of Barney, but stated he had so many other duties it was scarcely possible for him to give the required attention to his colonial appointment.

The project had been revived several times, and as some difficulty was being experienced in finding work for time-expired convicts in Tasmania, it was now decided to try the experiment of sending them to a new area and giving them land and a certain amount of government help.

[12] Barney arrived again in Sydney on 15 September 1846 in the William Hyde, and quickly surveyed the coast in a small steamer, and decided that Port Curtis was the most suitable place for a settlement.

Returning to Sydney a barque, the Lord Auckland, was chartered, and on 8 January 1847 sailed with Barney and his family, various officials, and a small military force.

[12] Barney was appointed successively chief commissioner of crown lands on 1 January 1849,[11][13] and Surveyor General of New South Wales on 11 October 1855.