William Ryrie

William Ryrie
William Ryrie
Born	1805-02-09; Thurso, Scotland
Died	1856-07-21
Occupation(s)	Pastoralist, early settler, magistrate
Years active	1825–1856
Known for	Early settler in Braidwood and Port Phillip District; established first commercial vineyard in Port Phillip District at Yering

William Ryrie (1805–1856) was a Scottish-born Australian pastoralist and early settler who played a pioneering role in the Braidwood area of New South Wales as well as the Port Phillip District, now known as Victoria.

Early life

Born on 9 February 1805 in Thurso, Scotland, William Ryrie was the eldest child of Stewart Ryrie (1778–1852) and Ann Stewart. He arrived in Australia in 1825 as a free settler alongside his father—who had been appointed Deputy Commissary General—and other family members. His mother was the sister of William Stewart, who served as Lieutenant-Governor of New South Wales until 1827. William’s younger brother, Stewart Ryrie, Junior, established himself at Jindabyne, while Alexander, David, and John Ryrie were half-siblings born in Australia.

Career

In 1827, William secured a land grant at Larbert within the Braidwood region, naming it Arnprior after the childhood home of his father’s second wife. This property included territory traditionally owned by the Walbanga people. By 1833, the family was operating Arnprior with convict labour, with William managing it jointly alongside his retired father. His brother James owned neighboring land at Durran Durra until his death in 1840, after which their properties were combined.

The Ryrie family invested financially in The Wool Road project; William took part in an 1831 expedition to chart a route from Nerriga to Jervis Bay. In 1844, they attempted to sell Arnprior without success, possibly due to Stewart Ryrie’s financial difficulties. Meanwhile, William began focusing on settlement prospects within the Port Phillip District.

As one of the earliest settlers to travel overland from New South Wales rather than Tasmania, William led a group including brothers James and Donald in 1837 to establish Yering Station near Melbourne. Yering later became notable for the 1840 conflict known as the Battle of Yering between Wurundjeri warriors and Border Police.

In 1838, Ryrie established what is considered the first commercial vineyard in the Port Phillip District at Yering—starting with approximately 0.4 hectares planted with vines transported from Arnprior and supplemented by cuttings from James Macarthur’s Camden Park Estate. The initial vintages were produced there in 1845. Paul de Castella acquired Yering Station in 1850 and greatly expanded its vineyards, earning acclaim as the founder of the Yarra Valley wine industry. Although phylloxera devastated vineyards in the early 1900s, winemaking at Yering Station has since been revived.

Magisterial role

In 1840, Ryrie was appointed as a magistrate in Melbourne despite having engaged earlier that year in a duel with Peter Snodgrass. After Victoria separated from New South Wales in 1851, he became a well-known figure within the colony. He was among the first members of the Melbourne Club and served as a founding trustee of Melbourne’s Scot's Church.

Personal life

William Ryrie married Marianne Campbell Cassels—his stepmother’s younger sister—in 1845 at Arnprior, his father’s estate at Larbert. The couple had two daughters, Helen and Anne, and one son named John.

Death

William Ryrie passed away on 21 July 1856 during a visit to Scotland. His wife Marianne died in June 1876 at her residence in Burwood, New South Wales.

Legacy

Ryrie Street in Braidwood carries his namesake, while Ryrie Park commemorates his half-brother, Alexander Ryrie. Additionally, the prominent Ryrie Street in Geelong is believed to be named in his honor.

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