Joshua John Moore - Land Ownership

Land Ownership

In 1819, Moore was granted (by Macquarie) 500 acres (2 km²) of land at Cabramatta, near Liverpool. He called this piece of land Horningsea Park. He lived at Horningsea until 1839, the year his first wife died. In August 1821, Moore took ownership on land in Baw Baw, where he was given 600 acres (2.4 km2) of land and lived for the most part of his life. Among other things, Moore also took out, in October 1824, a ticket-of-occupation for over 2000 acres (8 km²) of land in an area where Canberra now exists, and in December 1826, he apllied to buy some 1000 acres (4 km²) of land that he already occupied for over 3 years, 'situate at Canberry, on the E. bank of the river which waters Limestone Plains, above its junction with the Murrumbeeja, adjoining the grant of Mr Robert Campbell snr'. Moore was informed, 30 April, 1827, that under the circumstances he would be allowed to retain possession of 1,000 acres "at Canberry, adjoining the grant of the Hon. Robert Campbell. Senior, Esq."

Moore is known to have been the first pastoralist to ever occupy the land where Canberra, the capital of Australia, is situated presently, preceding Robert Campbell by approximately one year. Despite this, Moore did not take an interest or participate in the establishment and development of the district and area and never lived there.