Sir Ernest Scott

Born in Northampton, England, in 1867, he began his working life in journalism before moving to Australia in 1892 and joining The Herald in Melbourne. That newsroom background stayed with him: his historical writing is known for being clear, orderly, and aimed at a broad reading public.

He went on to become professor of history at the University of Melbourne, serving from 1913 to 1936, and became one of the leading figures in Australian historical scholarship of his time. His best-known works include studies of Australian exploration and colonial history, especially A Short History of Australia and The Life of Captain Matthew Flinders, as well as his writing on Captain Cook and the Pacific.

Knighted in 1939, shortly before his death that same year, he left a lasting mark on both academic and popular history in Australia. Even now, he is remembered as an important early interpreter of Australia’s national story and of the explorers who helped map the wider region.