John Gale (journalist)

John Gale - Father of Canberra (17 April 1831 – 15 July 1929) arrived in Australia in 1855 as a Methodist missionary - probationary minister.

John Gale was never ordained because he resigned to marry Loanna Wheatley, at Waggalallah (a few miles out of Gunning), NSW in January, 1857. Loanna was the daughter of ordained Methodist Minister the Reverend John Weatley.

Although never ordained John Gale continued to be a lay preacher in both the Methodist and Presbyterian Churches in the Queanbeyan District over most of his life.

John Gale was the founder of the Golden Age newspaper in 1860 and changed its name to The Queanbeyan Age newspaper in 1864. Gale was also connected with many other newspapers.

Gale was born in Bodmin, Cornwall, England in 1831. Educated at Monmouth Grammar School, and was apprenticed to the printing trade in 1846.

He arrived in Sydney, Australia in 1854 as a Probationary Minister and rode his horse over a wide missionary circuit which included Queanbeyan NSW.

He wrote in his newspapers and his book 'Canberra History & Legends' (page 5) that he rode up Kurrajong Hill (now called Capital Hill where the new Parliament House is built) and as he sat on his horse on Christmas Day in 1855 he had a "prophetic inspiration" ... "What a magnificent site for one of Australia's future cities!".

John Gale wrote to his older brother Peter Francis Gale, a photographer still living in England and asked him to bring out a printing press and help start a newspaper in Queanbeyan.

John Gale and his older brother Peter Francis Gale plus wives and children and printing press arrived in Queanbeyan and in September 1860 published the first issue of the "Golden Age" newspaper which soon metamorphosed into the still extant "The Queanbeyan Age" in 1864.

John Gale was the first active proponent for making the Canberra-Queanbeyan region Australia's capital city and was ultimately successful in this goal.

Gale was recognized publicly as the 'Father of Canberra' at a dinner in Hotel Acton in Canberra in 1924 and in the local papers.

Sir Austin Chapman MP spoke at the first Land Sales in Canberra in 1924 where he acknowledged that Gale was entitled to be named the 'Father of Canberra', Charles Studdy Daley verified this in the 'Canberra Times' and in his book 'As I Recall'.

AK Murray a pioneer of the District and editor of the 'Federal Pioneer Magazine' also said Sir Austin Chapman had acknowledged to him that Gale was entitled to be named the 'Father of Canberra'.

Sir John Forrest MP (Premier of Western Australia) who was a vocal opponent against the Canberra site said it was John Gale's pamphlet 'Dalgety or Canberra Which?' convinced him that Canberra was the best site to build the Capital of Australia and said it won the day for Canberra.

AK Murray wrote that the pamphlet 'Dalgety or Canberra Which" was sent to all the members of the seven Parliaments and to other prominent people all over Australia.

The John Gale - Father of Canberra Memorial, bronze sculpture, by artist Peter Corlett, was unveiled on the Queanbeyan Courthouse site, on the corner of Monaro Street/ Farrer Place, Lowe Street, Queanbeyan in March 2001 and recognizes John Gale and the Queanbeyan District community who lobbied for and built the national capital Canberra.

Bibliography

* "As I Recall - Reminiscences of Early Canberra", Charles Studdy Daley. (ed) Shirley Purchase, Canberra, 1994.
* "Canberra - History of and Legends Relating to the Federal Capital Territory of the Commonwealth of Australia", John Gale, Queanbeyan, 1927.
* "The Federal Capital – Dalgety or Canberra Which? John Gale, 1907.
* "John Gale's The Federal Capital – Dalgety or Canberra Which?, (ed) Clair Lewis, 2001.
* "Gale Force - John Gale and the sitting of the National Capital", Susan Mary Woolcock Withycombe, Canberra, 2001.
* "Six Days in the Mountains of Cowley", John Gale, Queanbeyan, 1901-1920.
* "Trout Fishing in the Goodradigbee River", John Gale, Queanbeyan, 1904.
* "An alpine excursion - notes of a trip to the mountains, rivers, plains and caves of the Australian Alps", John Gale, Queanbeyan, 1903.

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