 Deciding that there were more opportunities in Australia, he arrived in Sydney in 1880 and was soon appointed assistant to the city architect, where he worked on the Centennial Hall of the Sydney Town Hall in 1883.The family lived for many years in Burwood, where he designed the Town Hall in 1887, and was an alderman 1890–1895, and mayor in 1892–93.During his presidency of the Institute of Architects of New South Wales in 1911–12, the registration of architects was achieved.