Thomas Bather Moore

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Thomas Bather Moore (1851 to 1919) was a pioneer of Tasmania.

He was born at New Norfolk and died at Queenstown. He was buried at the graveyard Strahan overlooking Macquarie Harbour.

He was a Fellow of the Royal Geographic Society.

He had been a prospector, track cutter, botanist, geographer and geologist - all mainly in West Coast, Tasmania area.

His tracks were legendary routes through parts of the South West Wilderness, as well as the West Coast Range.

He had been considered one of the most experienced of Mount Lyell Mining and Railway Company's track cutters.

Charles Whitham's book 'Western Tasmania (book)' was dedicated to his memory. In part of the dedication Whitham states: -

Thomas Moore was the first in place, though not in time, of those who have explored Western Tasmania. He traversed every portion of the territory, sometimes as a prospector....

his knowledge of this region was never equalled by any other, and will never be surpassed'

He named many features including Mount Strahan, the Thureau Hills and the Tofft River which runs between those hills and Mount Huxley (Tasmania).

In Whitham's book T.B. Moore -

"laid it down that all western lakes must have feminine names"

which Whitham guessed would be ignored by bureaucrats in Hobart. The Hydro Tasmania has since created lakes which have names that do not follow Moore's suggestion.

[edit] References

Binks, C.J. (1980). Explorers of Western Tasmania. Launceston: Mary Fisher Bookshop. ISBN 0-908291-16-7.
Blainey, Geoffrey (2000). The Peaks of Lyell, 6th ed., Hobart: St. David's Park Publishing. ISBN 0-7246-2265-9.
Whitham, Charles. Western Tasmania: A Land of Riches and Beauty.

2003 edition - Queenstown: Municipality of Queenstown.

1949 edition - Hobart: Davies Brothers. OCLC 48825404; ASIN B000FMPZ80

1924 edition - Queenstown: Mount Lyell Tourist Association. OCLC 35070001; ASIN B0008BM4XC

Whitham, Lindsay (2002). Railways, Mines, Pubs and People and other historical research. Sandy Bay: Tasmanian Historical Research Association. ISBN 0-909479-21-6.
(1993) in Stoddart, D.Michael: Walk to the West. Hobart: The Royal Society of Tasmania. ISBN 0-9598679-9-6.