14 Facts About Richard Heales

Richard Heales was apprenticed as a coachbuilder and migrated to Victoria with his father in 1842.

Richard Heales worked for some years as a labourer before establishing himself as a wheelwright and coachbuilder in 1847.

Richard Heales was a teetotaller and a leading temperance campaigner.

Richard Heales resigned in 1852 and returned to England, but was back in Melbourne in time for the first election held under the new Constitution of Victoria in September 1856.

Richard Heales stood for the seat of Melbourne in the Legislative Assembly, but was defeated.

Richard Heales was elected member for East Bourke at a by-election in March 1857.

In October 1859, Richard Heales won the seat of East Bourke Boroughs and held it for the rest of his life.

In October 1860, Richard Heales was a leading critic of the land bill introduced by the government of William Nicholson.

Richard Heales set about advocating his own land policy, but in June 1861 he was defeated on a vote of confidence.

Richard Heales obtained a dissolution and with strong rural support was returned with an increased majority.

In 1862 Richard Heales introduced a bill creating a single education board to rationalise the school system, which was passed with broad support.

When John O'Shanassy was defeated as premier for the third time in June 1863, Richard Heales was appointed the president of the Board of Land and Works, and Commissioner of Crown Lands and Surveys in the ministry of James McCulloch.

Richard Heales brought in two further land bills during this time, but both were rejected by the Legislative Council.

Richard Heales was survived by his wife and eight children.