The effects of industrialization, destitution, and commercial depressions in promoting emigration to Australia were obvious from the early 1830s. The most remarkable feature of the emigration was its widespread nature. No corner of Scotland was unaffected by it.

The availability of free or assisted passages to Australia after 1832 was partly responsible, by itself the depression would not have been sufficient to secure this result, which was realised only because the ‘Government’ and the later ‘Colonial’ bounty systems came into effect, for this was to be largely a working-class emigration, and the considerable proportion of the emigrants who came from the Highlands and islands included many who were near to complete destitution but 'bounty systems' introduced free or assisted passages.

In 1837, an additional scheme, encouraged the immigration of skilled agricultural workers as well as unmarried women and mechanics, came into operation.

Both assisted emigration and unassisted private emigration increased steadily from 1836 onwards, reaching a peak in 1839— 40, when Scotland as a whole, and the North-East in particular, experienced its second surge of enthusiasm for the Australian colonies as a field for emigration and investment.

In 1838 the flow to Australia increased, and no fewer than nine ships with 2,161 government bounty emigrants cleared from Scottish ports. In addition, 1,054 ‘private’ bounty emigrants and unassisted emigrants took passage from Scotland, making a total of 3,215 for the year

James Loch, factor for the extensive estates of the Duchess of Sutherland, had already suggested that ‘Her Grace would be desirous to join with the Government’ in an emigration scheme, and Hugh McLean of CoIl had written several times proposing the establishment of an entirely new settlement in Australia, with a population (‘free of convict contamination’) of 3,000 destitute Highlanders, 300 to be sent out yearly for ten years.

CoIl himself would undertake the management of the colony, and suggested that the Government should give him ‘a very large tract’ of land, and advance him £42,000 in passages for the Highlanders.

He described himself as ‘a Highland proprietor, who, having lost one-third of his income by the annihilation of the kelp manufacture, has consequently a large surplus population which must starve or emigrate’, and stated that he ‘felt most keenly the responsibility of recommending them going into the almost certain destruction of a convict contact and example. They are themselves aware of this great danger and importune me for location apart.’

The migration was to have a profound effect on Scottish attitudes to Australia, and was to influence the growing class of investors, who regarded it as a sign that Australia might have a bright future as more than a despised penal colony or a droughty sheep-run from which ambitious adventurers could make quick fortunes.

Scotland's Influence in the Development of Australia
Brisbane, Sir Thomas	Governor General of New South Wales. Gave His Name To Brisbane (Australia).
Cresswell, William	Founded Australian Navy.
Dixson, Hugh	Founded Australian Tobacco Industry.
Forbes, James	Founded Melbourne Academy.
Hunter, John	Introduced Sheep to Australia.
MacArthur, John	Introduced Merino Sheep to Australia and Laid Out First Vineyard.
Macquarrie, Lachlan	Founding Father of Australia.
McIlwraith, Thomas	Premier of Queensland.
Service, James	Premier of Victoria.
Spence, William Guthrie	Leader of the Labour Party.
Stuart, John McDowall	First Person to Cross Australia from North to South.