Raymond Holmes (surveyor)

Last updated

Raymond Eden Holmes

AM
Raymond Eden Holmes.jpg
Surveyor General of Victoria
Born2 January 1928
Dromana Bushnursing Hospital
Died22 November 2020(2020-11-22) (aged 92)
OccupationSurveyor
Spouse(s)Kathleen Jean (Pat) Holmes, nee Burton
ChildrenJenifer McAuley & Jillian Holmes-Smith
ParentWilliam John (Jack) Holmes & Sylvia Tallents
Raymond Holmes, Doctor of Surveying Honoris Cause Raymond Doctor of Surveying.jpg
Raymond Holmes, Doctor of Surveying Honoris Cause

Dr. Raymond Eden Holmes AM was an Australian surveyor. He was the Surveyor General of Victoria from 1979 to 1988 and appointed as a Member of the Order of Australia in the 2019 Australia Day Honours for "significant service to surveying and mapping, and to professional organisations". [1] Holmes was also acknowledged for his recovery in July 2007 of artefacts from the Burke and Wills expedition, which he donated to the State Library of Victoria. [2]

Contents

In 1994, The University of Melbourne awarded Holmes a Doctorate of Surveying Honoris Causa for his services to the surveying profession in Victoria and the university. [3] [4] Following his retirement as Surveyor General, Holmes worked as a consultant to both the World Bank and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization as an expert adviser on land administration. Holmes died on 22 November 2020. [5]

Early years

Ray with brother and parents Ray with brother and parents.jpg
Ray with brother and parents

Holmes was born on 2 January 1928 in Dromana, Victoria. His grandfather was an early settler who had taken up farmland at Red Hill in early 1860. His childhood was spent on the family's farm, which gave him a good foundation for his future work, particularly at the State Rivers and Water Commission of Victoria (SR&WSC).

He was educated at Frankston High School, gaining his Leaving Certificate in December 1944. In May 1945, he joined the Victorian State Government in the Department of Crown Land and Surveys as a Junior Survey Draftsman, where he decided to commence his training to become a Licensed Surveyor. [6]

State Rivers and Water Commission of Victoria (SR&WC)

Raymond Holmes with bogged utility, 1946 Young Ray at work (adjusted).jpg
Raymond Holmes with bogged utility, 1946

In September 1945, he transferred to the Survey Division of SR&WSC as a Junior Survey Chainman and Articled Pupil Surveyor. He undertook his articles under the supervision of Mr. G. Ficke at Kerang between 1945 and 1949. During this time, he worked on general water supply engineering and cadastral surveys associated with irrigation and the construction of the Rocklands Reservoir. In October 1949, he completed his examinations with the Surveyors Board of Victoria and became a Licensed Surveyor.

From 1946 onwards he worked at a number of SR&WSC offices, including in the Western District, Mildura, the Bellarine Peninsula and Heyfield. Between 1950 and 1953, he was engaged in the Crown Land subdivisions creating Soldier Settlements in Gippsland.

In 1953, he was promoted to the position of Superintendent Surveyor, in charge of the new North Central survey zone. In this position, he supervised surveys and assisted with design details for a major part of Victoria's irrigation systems (including the Goulburn system). He also made a close study of the best practice in the design of farm irrigation systems and of hydrographic measurement methods. He regularly provided in his own time and advice to farmers to improve the efficiency of their irrigation practices.

In 1964, he was transferred to the newly created role of Superintending Surveyor at SR&WSC Head Office in Melbourne, where his duties included responsibility for the operation of the entire Hydrographic Survey Section. During this time, he completed a postgraduate course in Engineering Hydrology at the University of NSW. In 1967 he was promoted to the position of Assistant Chief Surveyor in the SR&WSC.

He was a member of the Australian Water Resources Council Technical Committee on Surface Water from 1966 to 1979, and he served as its chairman between 1972 and 1977.

In 1973, Holmes was appointed Chief Surveyor of the SR&WSC, he was in charge of more than 200 field survey, hydrographic survey and drafting staff. This was the largest survey organisation in Victoria, at that time. [7]

Ethiopian Aid Project

In 1970 and 1971, he led groups of specially selected personnel to Ethiopia. The volunteers, came mainly from the SR&WSC and the Australian Agriculture Department. They were tasked with assisting the Ethiopian Government in the development of a new irrigation areas and with improving the existing systems in the Awash Valley. His role in this project was as an expert Surveyor and Hydrologist. In addition to organising the survey of 160,000 acres (64,000 hectares) of farmlands, he also reviewed the existing irrigation network and the associated hydrographic infrastructure and made recommendations for its improvement. Holmes was selected for this task as a mark of his standing within the SR&WSC. This project was carried out and under the authority of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Authority, and was financed by the World Bank. [8]

Surveyor General of Victoria

In July 1979, Holmes was appointed to the role of Surveyor-General of Victoria. He was Victoria's 22nd Surveyor-General and he held this position as head of the survey profession until his retirement in 1988. The role also included responsibilities as the Chairman of the Surveyors Board of Victoria, and as a member of the Victorian Electoral Boundaries Commissions and as a Commissioner for Redistribution of Federal Electoral Boundaries. [9]

Institution of Surveyors Australia and the Institution of Surveyors Victoria

Holmes also carried out leadership roles particularly in the Victorian Division of the Institution of Surveyors Australia (ISA) of which he was a foundation member. He was Victorian President in 1975, and a National Councillor from 1976 to 1991. Holmes was President of ISA 1985–86. [10] He joined the Institution of Surveyors Victoria (ISV) as a pupil surveyor in 1946. After becoming a Licensed Surveyor, he was elevated to Corporate (full) membership in 1950.

In recognition of his service to the Institution, he was elevated to the rank of Fellow in February 1977 and to Honorary Fellow in April 1988. He continued his service to the Institution for many years, even after his retirement from full-time employment. In 2016 he received a 70 Year Membership Certificate.

FIG Congress

1994 World FIG Congress opening Fig opening.jpg
1994 World FIG Congress opening

In 1992, he led an overseas delegation representing the ISA, which resulted in Melbourne winning the right to host the International Federation of Surveyors (FIG) World Congress in 1994. In organising this bid he made good use of the contacts he had previously made within international surveying community as Victoria's Surveyor-General, the World Bank and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Holmes was appointed the FIG Congress Manager (unpaid) for the 1994 World FIG Congress. The FIG Congress was attended by over 1,000 people representing close to 100 countries from around the world. It was the first time that a southern hemisphere nation has had the honour of hosting this prestigious event. The congress was a comprehensive success and a number of visitors from other countries commented that it was the best event they had attended, and that Melbourne could be proud of its presentation. [11] [12]

Burke and Wills expedition

In 2007 and 2008, Holmes led expeditions that located Plant Camp, where explorers Robert O'Hara Burke and William John Wills buried their navigational equipment and other possessions on 3 April 1861, just days before heading south in a doomed attempt to find their support party. The Camp was located on an isolated creek bed on a Kidman pastoral lease in Western Queensland. Found buried in about three centimetres of riverbed mud was a brass case with a spirit level that was identified as belonging to the expedition's surveyor and astronomer Wills, along with other artefacts that included a pair of scissors, a darning needle, a horseshoe, buckles, rifle and revolver shells and some brass hinges and screws. The items have since been gifted by Holmes to the State Library of Victoria. [13] [14] [15]

Retirement

Since retiring from full-time employment, Holmes worked as a consultant to both the World Bank and FAO as an expert adviser on land administration. [16]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Burke and Wills expedition</span> Australian exploration expedition (1860–61)

The Burke and Wills expedition was organised by the Royal Society of Victoria in Australia in 1860–61. It initially consisted of 19 men led by Robert O'Hara Burke, with William John Wills being a deputy commander. Its objective was the crossing of Australia from Melbourne in the south to the Gulf of Carpentaria in the north, a distance of around 3,250 kilometres. At that time most of the inland of Australia had not been explored by non-Indigenous people and was largely unknown to the European settlers.

Gary Roy Nairn is an Australian former politician.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Macadam</span> Australian politician (1827–1865)

The Honorable DrJohn Macadam, was a Scottish-Australian chemist, medical teacher, Australian politician and cabinet minister, and honorary secretary of the Burke and Wills expedition. The genus Macadamia was named after him in 1857. He died at sea, on a voyage from Australia to New Zealand, aged 38.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kerang</span> Town in Victoria, Australia

Kerang is a town on the Loddon River in northern Victoria in Australia. It is the commercial centre to an irrigation district based on livestock, horticulture, lucerne and grain. It is located 279 kilometres (173 mi) north-west of Melbourne on the Murray Valley Highway a few kilometres north of its intersection with the Loddon Valley Highway, elevation 78 metres (256 ft). At the 2016 census, Kerang had a population of 3,893. Kerang is believed to be an Aboriginal word for Cockatoo. It is home to the largest solar and battery farm in the country which was opened in June 2019. The 50-megawatt battery system is located outside of Kerang and stores 100 per cent renewable energy. The 2,000 solar panels have become a tourist attraction and are drawing many businesses to the town.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William John Wills</span> British explorer (1834–c. 1861)

William John Wills was a British surveyor who also trained as a surgeon. He was the second-in-command of the Burke and Wills expedition, which was the first expedition to cross Australia from south to north, finding a route across the continent from the settled areas of Victoria to the Gulf of Carpentaria. He and the expedition leader Robert O'Hara Burke both died of exhaustion on the expedition's return journey.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John King (explorer)</span> Irish soldier & Australian explorer (1838-1872)

John King was an Irish-born British soldier who achieved fame as an Australian explorer. He was the sole survivor of the four men from the ill-fated Burke and Wills expedition who reached the Gulf of Carpentaria. The expedition was the first to cross Australia from south to north, finding a route across the continent from Melbourne in Victoria to the Gulf of Carpentaria in Queensland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Society of Victoria</span> Learned society in Victoria, Australia

The Royal Society of Victoria (RSV) is the oldest scientific society in Victoria, Australia.

Jamie Morgan is a former professional tennis player from Australia. Morgan never won an ATP level singles title, but finished runner-up three times. He reached the fourth round of the 1993 U.S. Open, his best performance at a Grand Slam event. He achieved a career-high singles ranking of world No. 52 in 1993.

Jimi Bani is an Indigenous Australian actor, known for his portrayal of land rights activist Eddie Mabo in the 2012 tele-movie Mabo, several television series, and theatre performances.

The Surveyor General of Victoria is the person nominally responsible for government surveying in Victoria, Australia. The original duties for the Surveyor General was to measure and determine land grants for settlers in Victoria. The position was created at the time Victoria became a separate colony in 1851.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RMIT Design Hub</span> Educational / Institutional in Victoria, Australia

The RMIT Design Hub is a research, archive, exhibition, and studio space of the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology in Melbourne, Australia located on the historic Carlton & United Breweries site.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joseph Kelly (New South Wales politician)</span> Australian politician

Joseph Bede Kelly was an Australian politician, surveyor, farmer and businessman.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jesuit Social Services</span>

Jesuit Social Services is a social change organisation established by the Australian Jesuits in 1977. Originally based in Melbourne, Australia, it has expanded to include outreach programs in New South Wales and the Northern Territory.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Burke, Wills, King and Yandruwandha National Heritage Place</span> Historic site in Innamincka, South Australia

The Burke, Wills, King and Yandruwandha National Heritage Place is a heritage-listed historic precinct on the Birdsville Track, Innamincka, South Australia, Australia. It was added to the Australian National Heritage List on 22 January 2016.

Elizabeth O’Keeffe is a former senior public servant in the State Government of Victoria. She was executive director of Land Victoria from 1996 until 2002 and then the Chief Operating Officer of the National Gallery of Victoria until 2005. After leaving the public service she was a Director of Transparency International Australia until 2013.

Joseph ('Jos') Teresa Florent Jordens (1925-2008) was a Belgian-born Indologist, based in Australia for most of his career.

Dianne Dialecti "Di" Nicolios is a retired Australian Anglican priest. She was the first woman appointed Archdeacon for Women's Ministries in the Anglican Diocese of Sydney. She held that position from January 1994 to May 2002. She was also one of the first group of 14 women to be ordained a deacon in 1989 in the Sydney diocese.

Benjamin Bargwanna is a racing driver from Australia. He is the son of Bathurst 1000 winner Jason Bargwanna and grandson to Australian Production Car Champion Harry Bargwanna.

The Institution of Surveyors Victoria (ISV), formerly known as the Victorian Institute of Surveyors, was established in 1874. ISV is the oldest professional surveying body in both Victoria and Australia operating continuously since its formation.

References

  1. "Archived copy" (PDF). www.gg.gov.au. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 January 2019. Retrieved 17 January 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. The World Today Alison Caldwell (19 April 2010). "Burke and Wills spirit level donated to State Library". ABC News. Abc.net.au. Archived from the original on 30 October 2016. Retrieved 30 September 2019.
  3. "University Secretar's Department : University Calendar - Honoris Causa Degrees : The University of Melbourne". Archived from the original on 5 December 2010. Retrieved 27 January 2011.
  4. "Acknowledgement of Major Achievement". Australian Surveyor. 39 (2): 122–124. 1994. doi:10.1080/00050327.1994.10558429.
  5. "Dr Raymond Eden AM Holmes Death Notice – Melbourne, Victoria | The Age". tributes.theage.com.au.
  6. ISV Traverse 321, March 2019, pp.6-7, https://surveying.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Traverse-321.pdf
  7. ISV Traverse 321, March 2019, pp.6-7, https://surveying.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Traverse-321.pdf
  8. ISV Traverse 321, March 2019, pp.6-7, https://surveying.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Traverse-321.pdf
  9. ISV Traverse 321, March 2019, pp.6-7, https://surveying.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Traverse-321.pdf
  10. "Acknowledgement of Major Achievement". Australian Surveyor. 39 (2): 122–124. 1 June 1994. doi:10.1080/00050327.1994.10558429 via Taylor and Francis+NEJM.
  11. ISV Traverse 308, August 2016, https://surveying.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/TRAV308.pdf
  12. ISV Traverse 321, March 2019, pp.6-7, https://surveying.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Traverse-321.pdf
  13. ISV Traverse 321, March 2019, pp.6-7, https://surveying.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Traverse-321.pdf
  14. Debelle, Penelope (13 June 2008). "Sense of adventure drove 20-year Burke and Wills search". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 11 November 2019. Retrieved 11 November 2019.
  15. Hill ‘n’ Ridge Community Newsletter, Red Hill District Lions Club, July 2013 Issue 27, https://lionsredhill.vic.lions.org.au/files/lionsredhill.vic/issue%2027%20hill'n'ridge%20newsletter.pdf Archived 3 March 2015 at the Wayback Machine
  16. ISV Traverse 321, March 2019, pp.6-7, https://surveying.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Traverse-321.pdf
Preceded by
John Eric Mitchell
Surveyor General of Victoria
1979–1988
Succeeded by
John Richard Parker