Explorer
Lindsay became an apprentice in the state government survey department in 1873. In 1878 he was appointed gazetted as a senior surveyor in March 1875. In 1878 he was appointed junior surveyor and clerk in the land office of the Department of the Northern Territory at Palmerston (now Darwin) in the Northern Territory. In 1882 he resigned from the government service to take up private practice, but about a year later was placed in charge of a South Australian government expedition to Arnhem Land (in the Northern Territory). The party, consisting of four white men and two Indigenous Australians, fell in with hostile aborigines who attacked them and were only driven off by the use of fire-arms. Some of the horses had been stampeded during the conflict and the explorers only reached civilization after suffering many privations. Lindsay subsequently explored territory between the overland telegraph line and the Queensland border and discovered a payable mica field. In 1886 Lindsay was exploring in the region of the MacDonnell Ranges and discovered so-called rubies. The 1885-86 expedition traced the Finke River to its mouth.
Early in 1891 Lindsay was placed in charge of the Elder Scientific Exploring Expedition entirely equipped by Sir Thomas Elder. Starting from Warrina, South Australia, with 42 camels on 2 May 1891 with the intention of covering as much unexplored territory as possible between there and the western coast of Australia, the expedition was unfortunate in striking an extremely dry season, the results were disappointing, and the expedition was abandoned without completing much that had been intended. However, in the 11 months to 4 April 1892 over 4000 miles (6,400 km) were traversed, and about 80,000 square miles (206,000 km²). were mapped. Charges were made by the second officer and three other members of the party concerning Lindsay's management of the expedition, but after an inquiry had been held he was exonerated. The abandonment of the expedition was 'a terrible disappointment' to Lindsay.
In 1893, Lindsay overlanded camels to Coolgardie after news of gold discoveries there, and sold them at a profit.
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