Early Life
Ernest Giles was born in Bristol, England, son of William Giles, a merchant, and Jane Elizabeth, née Powell. Giles was educated at Christ's Hospital school, Newgate, London. At the age of 15, he emigrated to Australia, joining his parents, and took up residence in Adelaide, South Australia. In 1852 Giles went to the Victorian goldfields, then became a clerk at the Post Office in Melbourne, and later at the County Court. Soon tiring of town life Giles went to the back country and obtained valuable experience as a bushman; he was exploring on the Darling River in 1861, looking for pastoral country. He was searching for land capable of cultivating hemp, as it was valuable for rope at the time.
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