In 1860 he was engaged by Barry Sullivan's company in Melbourne, where he played "Myles na Coppaleen" in The Colleen Bawn, and "Lord Dundreary" in Our American Cousin, and "Uncle Pete" in The Octoroon.
Triumphs during this time included burlesques The Siege of Troy and Knights of the Round Table written by W. M. Akhurst and scene paintings by Hennings, with seasons in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide.
[2] In 1878 Stewart and his wife, Maggie, Docy, Richard jr, Nellie (then aged 15), Harry Lyons as advance agent and Harcourt Lee as conductor left Sydney with two productions, Rainbow Revels and If, or, An Old Gem Reset.
They were so successful in India that Stewart decided to convert the tour to a holiday, and kept his word until they reached London, when they were persuaded to stage Rainbow Revels at the Crystal Palace on alternate afternoons for six weeks, then a season at the 14th Street Theatre, New York, for John Haverley.
In September 1880 they were called back to Australia by George Coppin to stage a pantomime, Sinbad the Sailor at the Theatre Royal, Melbourne with Miss Nellie Stewart as "principal boy".