About John Ovens
Lived 1788 – 1825 (aged 36–37). John Ovens was an explorer.
John Ovens (1788 – 7 December 1825) was an Irish-born soldier, civil engineer and explorer of Australia. He was aide-de-camp to Sir Thomas Brisbane, governor of New South Wales and explored the Murrumbidgee River and Monaro (New South Wales) district with Capt. Mark Currie.
Life and career Ovens was born in St Catherine, Fermanagh, Ireland and joined the 73rd (Perthshire) Regiment of Foot of the British Army in 1808. He travelled with the regiment in 1810 to the colony of New South Wales. He returned to England in October 1811 and soon transferred to the 74th (Highland) Regiment of Foot under Thomas Brisbane.
Legacy The Ovens River, the town of Ovens, Victoria and the submarine HMAS Ovens were named after him. Also Ovens wattle, Acacia pravissima.
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Important facts
People in John Ovens's life
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Contemporaries
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Frequently asked questions
Who was John Ovens?
Engineer and explorer of Australia
When was John Ovens born?
John Ovens was born in 1788.
When did John Ovens die?
John Ovens died on 7 December 1825.
What was John Ovens's occupation?
John Ovens was an explorer.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). John Ovens. https://biography.guide/john-ovens/
MLA: "John Ovens." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/john-ovens/.
Chicago: "John Ovens." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/john-ovens/.
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