Julian Edmund Tenison-Woods[note 1] (15 November 1832 – 7 October 1889), commonly referred to as Father Woods,[1] was an English Catholic priest and geologist who served in Australia.

Tenison-Woods was born in London, the sixth son[2] (of eleven children) of James Dominick Woods,[3] a sub-editor of The Times, and his wife, Henrietta Maria Saint-Eloy Tenison,[2] daughter of the Rev.

John White of the Royal Belgian Chapel, Southwark,[note 2] and confirmed by Cardinal Wiseman, at that time Vicar-Apostolic of the London District.

George O'Neill SJ, discusses the question at some length and gives reasons for thinking that Tenison-Woods's memory at the time of writing the memoir may be untrustworthy.

[2] He worked for the Adelaide Times as sub-editor for a year, then in April 1856 entered the "Sevenhill" Jesuit college near Clare, South Australia to prepare for ordination.

[4] After four years as director of Catholic education, he continued working as a scientist and missionary priest in New South Wales, Tasmania and Queensland.

Early in 1867, Tenison-Woods was transferred to Adelaide and was appointed director-general of Catholic education and secretary to Bishop Laurence Sheil, with the clerical style of The Very Reverend.

His Fish and Fisheries of New South Wales (Sydney, 1883) was published by the colonial government and William III of the Netherlands awarded Tenison-Woods a gold medal for the book.

"[24] In 1883, Tenison-Woods was invited by his friend and governor of Singapore, Sir Frederick Weld, to undertake a scientific tour in the Straits Settlements.

Tenison-Woods also travelled extensively in Java, the adjacent islands and the Philippines, and provided the British government with a valuable confidential report on the coal resources of the East.

For three years, between August 1883 and June 1886 Woods travelled through Eastern and Southeastern Asia, including Hong Kong, China and two trips to Japan.

[25][26] In late 1885 Woods had intended to travel along the Yangtze, but because of a cholera outbreak at Shanghai he re-routed to Kobe, before moving inland to the hot spring town of Arima Onsen.

[25][26] During this period in Japan, he collected mineral samples, plants, and a large number of examples of Japanese artworks, spiritual items, photographs, and material culture.

After Tenison-Woods' 1889 death his executrix disposed of his estate, and a portion was purchased by the Sydney-based Museum of Applied Arts & Sciences (MAAS).

Early in 1889, his health began to grow steadily worse and after much patient suffering he died at St Vincent's Hospital on 7 October 1889, aged 56, and was buried in the Catholic section at Waverley Cemetery, Sydney.

[36] In 1974 the highest peak in the D'Aguilar Range (770 m) within Brisbane Forest Park, south-east Queensland, was named Tenison-Woods Mountain.