The first surveyor general, John Septimus Roe, was responsible for the laying out of many townsites, including Perth and Fremantle, and played a prominent role in the politics of the day.
Another surveyor general, John Forrest, became Premier of Western Australia, and later a Cabinet minister in Australia's first federal government.
In modern times, the position of surveyor general has diminished in importance.
It remains a statutory office, and is housed within the current agency named Landgate.
This is a list of surveyors general of Western Australia.