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John Garrett Bussell, born in Portsea, England, on August 16, 1803, was the eldest son of an Anglican clergyman. His early life was steeped in tradition and the expectation of an ecclesiastical career. Educated at the prestigious Winchester College and Trinity College, Oxford, where he earned a B.A. in 1829, John was set on a scholarly path. However, the untimely death of his father in 1820 plunged the family into financial hardship. This period of struggle, and the sacrifices made to continue his education, would inadvertently prepare him for a life far removed from the hallowed halls of Oxford – a rugged, pioneering existence in a distant land.

As John awaited ordination, the Bussell family, seeking respite from their financial woes, became captivated by “glowing reports of Swan River” in Western Australia. Emigration seemed the “perfect solution,” offering not just economic relief but also, for John, a chance for a self-reliant life away from what he perceived as the constraints of English society. In October 1829, John, along with his brothers Charles, Vernon, and Alfred, set sail on the Warrior. This advance party was tasked with establishing a foothold before the rest of the family followed. They arrived at the Swan River Colony on March 12, 1830, stepping into a new world brimming with both promise and peril.

Mini-Timeline: The Augusta Struggle

Upon arrival, the Bussells found the prime land near the main Swan River settlement already claimed. Governor James Stirling advised them to join a new sub-colony at Augusta. For four grueling years, the brothers toiled, first at “Dachet” and then “Adelphi” on the Blackwood River. The dense karri forests were formidable, the soil largely infertile. They faced near starvation, their crops failed, and livestock strayed. Misfortune struck repeatedly: their new home at Adelphi burned down in November 1833, and in 1834, vital supplies brought by their mother and sister were lost in the wreck of the Cumberland. These relentless setbacks painted a grim picture of their early colonial life.

The persistent failures at Augusta spurred John Garrett Bussell to undertake “numerous exploring expeditions in search of better land.” In December 1831, his perseverance paid off. He discovered the fertile lands of the Vasse region, a stark contrast to the harsh conditions of the Blackwood. His journal entries from this period brim with enthusiasm: “The country as we advanced improved rapidly; the ground on which we trod was a vivid green…” He was deeply impressed by the land’s quality, and his classical education perhaps lent a poetic lens to his observations, describing one spot as fit for “Dryad and Naiad.” In 1832, he secured a 3500-acre land grant at the Vasse River, a decision that would redirect the family’s destiny.

Mini-Timeline: Establishing 'Cattle Chosen' & Busselton

The Adelphi fire was the final catalyst. In April 1834, the Bussells relocated to the Vasse. Their first act was to cut a track from the beach to the river – a path that would become Busselton’s main street. Here, they established “Cattle Chosen.” The homestead’s name, adopted in September 1834, was born of a hopeful omen: a lost cow, Yulika, miraculously reappeared at the new settlement with her calf. ‘Cattle Chosen’ became the first European settlement in the Vasse district and a symbol of the family’s tenacity. It soon flourished into one of the colony’s most prosperous agricultural stations, drawing other settlers and marking a significant turning point.

Mini-Timeline: John Garrett Bussell's Public Service

John Garrett Bussell’s leadership was pivotal in the birth of Busselton. The settlement at the Vasse was referred to as “Busselton” by 1835, officially gazetted in 1847 in honour of the pioneering family. As an educated and prominent settler, John naturally stepped into civic duties. He was appointed a Justice of the Peace in 1855, served on the Vasse Board of Education from 1861, and was a nominee Member of the Western Australian Legislative Council from 1870 to 1872. He also played a key role in establishing St Mary’s Anglican Church, often leading services himself. His journey from struggling pioneer to community leader mirrored the growth of the settlement itself.

Mini-Timeline: Key Family Events

In 1837, John returned to England to marry Sophie Hayward, but the engagement ended, partly due to his insistence on his mother retaining domestic authority at ‘Cattle Chosen’. Soon after, he met Charlotte Cookworthy (née Spicer), a widow. Their marriage in 1838 led to Charlotte’s excommunication from her strict religious sect, the Plymouth Brethren. In a remarkable episode, Charlotte’s three children from her previous marriage were reportedly “kidnapped” from the sect’s control to join them on their voyage back to Western Australia in 1839. John and Charlotte had four daughters: Capel, Emily, Caroline, and Josephine. Charlotte’s strength of character made her an “ideal pioneer wife” in the challenging colonial environment.

The expansion of European settlement in the Vasse inevitably led to conflict with the traditional owners, the Wardandi Noongar people. Tensions peaked in February 1841 with the Wonnerup Massacre. After farmer George Layman was speared by a Wardandi man, Gaywal, John Garrett Bussell and Captain John Molloy led a punitive expedition. Official reports claimed few Aboriginal casualties, but other accounts, including Wardandi oral traditions and later historical research by Warren Bert Kimberly, suggest a significantly higher death toll, with “dozens” more killed as the pursuit continued north. Kimberly described it as “one of the most bloodthirsty deeds ever committed by Englishmen.” This event remains a dark and deeply controversial part of John Garrett Bussell’s story and the region’s history.

John Garrett Bussell spent most of his later years at ‘Cattle Chosen’. While farming remained his focus, his intellectual passions endured. He briefly taught classics at Bishop Hale’s School in Perth in 1864 and pursued theological studies, though he was never ordained. As his family grew and his brothers established their own farms, the original close-knit group at ‘Cattle Chosen’ began to disperse, causing John some personal grief.

John Garrett Bussell died on September 17, 1875, near Busselton, at the age of 72, from lung congestion. He was buried at St Mary’s Anglican Church, a testament to his role in the community’s spiritual life. His legacy is complex. He is celebrated as a principal founder of Busselton, a man of education and resilience who overcame immense colonial hardships. ‘Cattle Chosen’ stands as proof of his family’s agricultural success. Yet, his story is also marred by his leadership in the Wonnerup Massacre, a violent chapter in Australia’s frontier history. John Garrett Bussell embodies the multifaceted, often troubling, nature of colonial pioneering. A 2016 sculpture in Busselton acknowledges this complex legacy, ensuring his story, in all its shades, continues to be part of the region’s narrative.

This article draws from several key historical works and primary sources. For readers interested in delving deeper, the following represent some of the foundational materials consulted:

While many other primary and secondary sources inform a full understanding of John Garrett Bussell’s life, these provide significant starting points for further exploration.

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-Editor