Portrait of Matthew Moorhouse from Bartagunyah from the S.A. Northern Pioneers' composite, 1850-1859 (shown in position on B 6912/4).

Matthew moorhouse was born in 1813 in Huddlesfield, Yorkshire, England. He arrived on the Sir Charles Forbes (ship) in June 1839. Moorhouse was a medical practitioner before he came to South Australia to take up the position of first permanent Protector of Aborigines. He resigned from this position in 1859. He was a magistrate and in 1851 he was appointed to the Destitute Board and later became secretary. Moorhouse was a member of the House of Assembly from 1860 - 1862.

Following his resignation as Protector of Aborigines Moorhouse became a pastoralist joining with Charles Swinden at Riverton and Saddleworth. After selling his share of this partnership he joined with John Hope, F H Faulding, Joseph Fisher and Anthony Forster to purchase a lease west of The Hummocks: Moorhouse lived here as the manager. This partnership held the property until 1870 when they sold it to Robert Barr Smith and John Maslin.  Moorhouse then moved to Bartagunya, near Melrose. He also held interests in Saltia, Kallioota and Winnowie stations.

He died 29 March, 1876, age 63 at Bartagunya.

Cockburn, R Pastoral pioneers of South Australia Adelaide: Publishers Limited, 1925-1927 ("Reprinted from the Adelaide Stock and Station Journal.") vol. 1 pp. 88-89

Melrose, child of the mountain: a panorama of rural history edited by Jim Faull Melrose, S.A.: Melrose Historical Book Committee, 1979 p. 58, 66-69, 75, 80, 87-88

Australian Dictionary of Biography Online Edition Moorhouse, Matthew (1813 - 1876)