[2] Levey arrived in Australia in 1851, and was for a short time in the Government service of Victoria as clerk to the Gold Receiver, but subsequently embarked on mining pursuits, and was the first to employ machinery for quartz crushing.

He afterwards wrote for the Melbourne press, and travelled over the continent of Europe from 1859 to 1861, contributing to English newspapers.

He was twice elected for Normanby to the Victorian Legislative Assembly, serving from 1861 to 1867, and was editor and proprietor of the Herald from 1863 to 1868.

He visited the European countries and the United States of America, with the view to induce their Governments to send representatives to the Melbourne International Exhibition.

Levey married first, in 1863, Euphemia Caulfield Dalton Ligar, daughter of Charles Whybrow Ligar, surveyor-general of Victoria; and, second, in 1877, Mary Elizabeth Parker Bouligny, daughter of George Parker, of Washington, D.C., and widow of the Hon.