Charles Hardie Buzacott was a prominent nineteenth and early twentieth century Queensland publisher, journalist, newspaper proprietor, and politician.
Born in England, Buzacott migrated to Sydney with his brother William Hitchcock Buzacott in 1852 . After learning the compositor trade at Henry Parkes' Empire, he moved to Rockampton where he began publication of The Maryborough Chronicle on 21 November 1860. In 1864, he sold The Chronicle and launched The Peak Downs Telegram with E. J. Fried. In 1869, he disposed of his interest in this paper, and moved to Gladstone where he took over The Observer. A year later he moved back to Rockhampton, where he bought majority shares in The Rockhampton Bulletin in July, and took over as editor from his brother.
In 1873, Buzacott was elected to the Legislative Assembly as the member for Rockhampton. Resigning in 1877, he became the leader writer for The Brisbane Courier. In 1879 he returned to the Legislative Council where he became postmaster-general in Sir Thomas McIlwraith's first ministry. In December 1880 he bought Gresley Lukin's interest in The Brisbane Courier, and in 1883 retired from politics to become a managing partner and director of the Brisbane Newspaper Co. Ltd. which published The Brisbane Courier, The Queenslander, and The Daily Observer. Buzacott continued as managing director until the company was restructured in 1894. His son William James Buzacott was editor of The Queenslander from 1891 until 1934.
From 1894 to 1901, Buzacott again served as a member of the Legislative Council. With S. W. Hartley, he bought The Northern Argus from J. C. Browne, and changed its name to The Daily Record. In May 1903 he floated The Brisbane Daily Mail, which began publication on 3 October with Buzacott as managing director and editor.
In 1906 he retired to Stanthorpe, where he continued to write regularly for The Daily Mail until his death in 1918.
Source: Australian Dictionary of Biography. http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A030297b.htm
