 He was born at Maranumbela, his father's station, Snowy River, in the Monaro District of New South Wales.Having served three years as an articled clerk to a solicitor in Melbourne, he relinquished the law and joined his father in squatting pursuits in Queensland in 1861.Nine years later he was appointed to initiate the Border Customs, and entered the Civil Service as Inspector of the Border Patrol in December 1870.