Walter Cunningham Hume

[1] He spent almost 40 years surveying the Darling Downs region of Queensland, helping to develop land policy.

[1] His father worked as a brewer's agent in between writing and travelled twice to the US either to meet American writer Ralph Waldo Emerson or to seek a more favourable climate.

[1] Hume rose from midshipman to Officer Second Class in the mercantile marine, taking his master's licence.

He left his position in the P&O line in 1862, in order to advance his career and provide extra surety for the support of his family in England.

He was granted his own “Camp” and given the role of setting up towns and agricultural centres in the Darling Downs district, west of Brisbane.

[7] In 1877 Hume became a member of the Queensland Club, putting him amongst the state's most distinguished businessmen and government circle.

[8] After a year long sabbatical in England in 1883, the Humes returned to Toowoomba and built a home they called "Fairseat".

They moved to Brisbane and resided in Torwood, in a home made available to them by Augustus Gregory on his Rainworth estate.