Andrew Forrest - Early Life

Early Life

Forrest was born in Perth, Western Australia, the youngest of three children of Donald and Judith Forrest. He is the great-great nephew of John Forrest, the first premier of Western Australia. His great-grandfather, David Forrest, was the manager and (with his brothers John and Alexander, and Septimus Burt) part-owner of Minderoo Station. Forrest's early years were spent as a jackaroo at Mindaroo Station, in the Pilbara. Minderoo was owned by the Forrest family until it was sold in 1998 by Donald due to relentless drought and debt, but was bought back by Forrest in 2009.

Forrest was educated at Onslow Primary School, before moving back to Perth to attend Christ Church Grammar School and then Hale School. As a child, he suffered a stutter problem, which is how he came to develop a relationship with Ian Black, whose father Scotty Black, an Aboriginal, became Forrest's mentor. Forrest then attended the University of Western Australia where he studied a double major in economics and politics.