Illustrated Australian News for Home Readers (Melbourne, Vic. : 1867 - 1875), Saturday 18 June 1870, page 114


THE LATE CAPTAIN FYANS. Captain Foster Fyans, who died on 23rd May, at his residence, Ballyung, near Geelong, at the ripe old ago of 84, has played an im-portant part in the early history of three Australian colonies. His life, until within the last ten years, was an unusually active one. He held a commission in the army while a mere youth, and followed the fortune of his regiment (the fiftieth) through the whole of the Peninsular war, taking part in the principal battles, Sala-manca and the storming of Badajos in-clusive. After the peace of 1815 he settled in Now South Wales. Hie first official position in the colony was that of superintendent of Norfolk Island — a diffi-cult and highly responsible office; and on his return from the island ho was appointed commandant of Moreton Bav — the nucleus of the colony of Queensland. Hero he devoted himself to the development of the resources of the district, and dis-tinguished himself as an acclimatiser. Many of the present tropical products of Queens land can be traced back to the plants roared by him in the Government farm and gar-dens. In 1837 ho was despatched to the Port Phillip settlement, then merely known as "the new country," with the authority of police magistrate and commissioner of Crown lands. He pitched his tent and court at the junction of the Moorabool and Bar-won, now known as Fyansford, and when Sir Richard Bourke visited the settle-ment, Captain Fyans assisted him with his advice in the laying out of Melbourne and Geelong. His time was thenceforward entirely engrossed in the discharge of his arduous duties as Commissioner of Crown Lands for the whole of the Geelong, Portland and Wimmera districts. He had a very small run of his own, now forming a portion of the purchased land of the Messrs. Robertson, at Colac, which he stocked with some very choice cattle, the best then in the colony, the descendants of which still bear the famous F.F. brand. He retired from active service in 1855, the old Legislative Council voting him a gratuity of £2000 in re-cognition of his lengthened service. Whilst Captain Fyans was commandant at Nor-folk Island in the good old cut-throat convict days, he imported a horse, which was the first and last of the equine race ever landed on the island. The horse was a valuable one, and the importation involved consider-able expense and risk of total loss. Captain Fyans, when relieved of his duties by another veteran officer and gentleman (whom we all meet any day in Collins-street), offered his steed for sale to his successor. But the latter then as now was characterised by a frugal temperament, and loved a cheap bar-gain. So he offered the departing Fyans a ridiculously low price for Bucephalus. He felt he had the horse market in his own hands, and that it was for him to dictate the price. Not so, resolved the indignant Fyans. He ordered his horse to be marched to the shore with the departing detachment, to the astonishment of the would-be purchaser, who accompanied the party to witness the embarkation. Just before stopping into the boat, the Captain drew a loaded pistol and gave his horse a final dismissal from labor, and as the animal fell, he said, "Major, I mako you a present of him, and I hope you'll enjoy the riding, of him." Captain Fyans did not marry until late in life, and his wife has been dead for many years. He was wont to regret that he had ever left his regiment. He and Lord Gough were comrades, and when the latter was at the bend of the army of India, Captain Fyans could not help reflecting that he would have been almost certain of reaching

the same rank. It is well for the colonies of Now South Wales, Victoria and Queens-land, that Captain Fyans did leave the army, for he has always been some thing more than a mere official — an enterprising colonist, and a good neigh-bor to the struggling. His memory will be cherished by all to whom he was known, and his death has left a blank which will not be easily filled up.

THE LATE CAPTAIN FYANS. [FROM A PHOTOGRAPH BY WILMOT AND KEY. — SEE PAGE 114.]