George Fairbairn

Who was George Fairbairn?

Sir George Fairbairn was a pastoralist and Australian politician.

Fairbairn was born in Geelong, Victoria and educated at Geelong Grammar School and Jesus College, Cambridge. He rowed for Jesus College Boat Club in 1875 and 1876, the first two years of an 11-year stretch up to 1885 when it won the Cambridge head of the river races. His younger brother Steve went on to become an influential rowing coach at the club. Fairbairn returned to Australia in 1876 and in the following years managed Peak Downs and Barcaldine stations in Queensland. He married Jessie Kate Prell in November 1880 and they had a son and a daughter. In 1890, he took over the family farm at Lara, Victoria and subsequently acquired other farms in Victoria and New South Wales and developed numerous business interests. He was president of the Employers' Federation of Australia for six years.

In 1903 Fairbairn was elected to the Victorian Legislative Assembly seat of Toorak which he held until 1906 when he resigned to contest the newly created seat of Fawkner in the Australian House of Representatives.