Thomas Weston

Who was Thomas Weston?

Thomas Charles George Weston MBE was an Australian horticulturist and was responsible for the afforestation of Canberra.

Weston was born in Middlesex, England. He trained as a horticulturist in the United Kingdom and migrated to New South Wales in 1896. He was employed as a gardener at Admiralty House in Sydney from 1898 to 1908 and as the superintendent at Federal Government House, Sydney until 1912. He managed the State Nursery, at Campbelltown between 1912 and 1913, and was appointed officer-in-charge of afforestation, Canberra in that year. He held that position until 1926.

In Canberra he carried out extensive scientific breeding trials to increase the number of species that might grow in Canberra. He also established the first plantation forest on Mount Stromlo. Nearly 1.2 million trees were put in between 1921 and 1924. Weston Park, a large park in Canberra, is named in his honour. He died in Turramurra and his ashes were scattered in front of Old Parliament House in Canberra.