Portrait of D. Gooch from Mount Brown from the S.A. Northern Pioneers' composite, 1850-1859 (shown in position on B 6912/1).

Douglas Gooch was born circa 1838. He arrived in South Australia in 1839 as an infant with his parents. His father Charles Gooch was a soft goods and cheese merchant in King William Street. He had four sons: Charles, George, Douglas and Thomas.

After working pastoral properties in the north Douglas leased Carriewerloo, 50 miles north of Port Augusta, from pastoral pioneers the Marchant brothers in 1862. Then he went on to manage Yadlamalka station, for his brother-in-law Henry Scott. This station was 40 miles from Port Augusta and he later became a part owner with 3 others, including his brother, George. Douglas initiated a fencing programme on the station, an innovation on the northern runs which his neighbours thought  doomed to fail, but which became a success.

For four years Gooch managed Bungaree station, near Clare in the mid north for the Hawker brothers. He also attempted sheep farming in the Ninety Mile Desert but was without success. Many years later the soil of the region would be analysed and found wanting in a number of trace elements vital to pasture management and sheep health. He went on to lease the Point Lowly station 30 miles west of Port Augusta. Gooch then managed Braeside station at Cooke's Plains and finally managed the Burnside estate at Strathalbyn.

He married Mary, the daughter of James Louden (or Loudon) 2 December 1863 and they had four children.

Douglas Gooch died 1 September 1903 age 65 at the Burnside estate at Strathalbyn.

Gooch, Douglas, 1838-1903

Gooch, George

Cockburn, R Pastoral pioneers of South Australia 2 v. Adelaide: Publishers Limited, 1925-1927 ("Reprinted from the Adelaide Stock and Station Journal.") vol. 2 pp. 116-117 : Douglas Gooch. see also vol. 1 pp. 84-85 for George Marchant.

Mincham, Hans The story of the Flinders Ranges Adelaide: Rigby, 1967

Hawker, Frankie Bungaree: land, stock & people Everard Park, S. Aust.: Turnbull Fox Phillips Adelaide, 1992