https://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/cocla ... h_link.htm
The entry for CALLINAN (Issue 10) makes mention of surveyor Michael Callinan (1830 – 1920).
His obituary in the Advocate following his death describes some of the challenges that Michael faced in his work as a surveyor.
The deceased was born in Ennis, Co. Clare, in 1830.
After qualifying in Ireland as a surveyor, he arrived in Victoria in June, 1854,
and soon after entered its public service as a field surveyor............
...a plan was developed for the future settlement of people on the lands of
Victoria. The balance of the 87,884 square miles (22,836,287 acres) had
to be explored, surveyed, measured, and mapped out.
As the late Mr. James Smith has explained in his "Cyclopaedia of Victoria,"
"Rivers had to be traced to their source, and their windings and direction
carefully defined. Labyrinthine ranges of mountains, clothed to the very
summit with dense masses of timber, and teeming, during the summer months,
with venomous snakes, had to be crossed; tracks had to be blazed through
forest sanctuaries previously untrodden by the foot even of a blackfellow;
and, for the purposes of investigation, high peaks had to be scaled,
thickly-wooded spaces cleared of their trees, and cairns erected so as
to serve as signal stations and as the angular points which are, of course,
indispensable to a geodetic survey."
Mr. Callanan bore his full share of the hardships and dangers of that
early period in Victorian settlement................
Advocate (Melbourne, Vic. : 1868 - 1954) Thu 12 Aug 1920 Page 13....Deceased was engaged in field survey work until 1869, his first
labours being at Werribee, which formed part of the Melbourne district, and later
in Westernport and the remainder of Gippsland.
His final appointment as Surveyor-General was undoubtedly well earned,
but long delayed.
He retired from his arduous labours in 1895, followed by the good wishes of
all who knew him, whether in his professional or social capacity.
Deceased was a foundation member of the Celtic Club of Melbourne,
and through life a practical and generous supporter of Ireland's national cause.
He died at his daughter's residence, Essendon, at the age of 90 years. His
wife, Margaret, predeceased him some three years ago.
They left nine children, in the persons of
Edmond, Annie, Madge, Charley, Nellie, Mother Fidells (Brlgidine Order),
Captain Ernest F., Frank, and Jack, to whom we tender our sympathy.
May his soul rest in peace.
see the full article at:
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/arti ... 20callanan
murf