Sir Thomas Livingstone Mitchell
By the end of 1830 Mitchell had made considerable changes in the roads from Sydney to Parramatta and to Liverpool. He had plotted a new road southwards through Berrima as far as Goulburn and had discovered and constructed a new western descent from the Blue Mountains towards Bathurst. These roads were substantially the same as those used today.
In addition to being a highly competent surveyor, Mitchell was an avid explorer and determined to use his position to explore vast tracts of inland Australia. Over the course of 15 years he made four expeditions in an effort to establish definitive river courses. There was much criticism at the time over Mitchell’s perceived insubordination, lack of administrative skills and long absences from the colony during his time as Surveyor General. His operational manner and general ambition seemed to have caused conflict between himself and successive Governors such as Darling and Fitzroy.
Whilst living in Sydney, Mitchell and his family lived at Darling Point in a home he modelled himself named "Carthona". It was here that he died in 1855 from phenomena due to an illness he contracted whilst out surveying near Braidwood.
Despite his perceived personal faults, his technical skill and accuracy was recognized in his lifetime and Mitchell was knighted in 1839 for his contribution to the surveying of Australia.
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