John Forrest

Sir John Forrest GCMG (22 August 1847 – 2 September 1918) is an Australian explorer, the first Premier of Western Australia and a cabinet minister in Australia's first federal parliament.

As a young man, John Forrest wins fame as an explorer by leading three expeditions into the interior of Western Australia.

He is appointed Surveyor General and in 1890 becomes the first Premier of Western Australia, its only premier as a self-governing colony.

Forrest's premiership gives the state ten years of stable administration during a period of rapid development and demographic change.

He pursues a policy of large-scale public works and extensive land settlement, and he helps to ensure that Western Australia joins the federation of Australian states.

After federation, he moves to federal politics, where he is at various times postmaster-general, Minister for Defence, Minister for Home Affairs, Treasurer and acting Prime Minister.

Shortly before his death, Forrest is informed that the King had approved his being raised to the British peerage as Baron Forrest of Bunbury.

He immediately begins signing his name as "Forrest", as if he were already a peer.

However, at the time of his death his peerage had not been legally established by letters patent.

References to him as "Lord Forrest" are therefore incorrect.