Dr Collie was born in Aberdeenshire in the parish of Insch in 1793 on a farm known as 'Wantonwalls'. On his arrival he was allotted 1,500 acres on the left bank of the Swan and later in 1831 he received 5,000 acres at Albany. In 1829 in company with Lieut. Preston, RN., he explored the southwest and discovered and named the Collie and Preston Rivers. He was a great hiker. In 1830 reports of sickness were coming from the unfortunate Peel settlement at Clarence and Collie was sent to investigate. He found there had been 28 deaths and considerable amount of disease. He reported the food was bad, there was no nursing assistance, there was polluted water supply, an injudicious use of alcohol, and general incompetence of the Manager (Thomas Peel). In 1831 Collie was made a JP and appointed the first Govt Resident at Albany. His letters disclose he had a trying time. He suffered from what he called 'asthma' but it was most probably pulmonary tuberculosis, for it gradually wore him out and he died in 1835 of this lung complaint. He urged what has since become fulfilment 'Colonists in great, great numbers. WA will be populous, will be fertile, will be a land overflowing with milk and honey, before Sydney, before Van Diemens Land'. In 1831 he was appointed Colonial Surgeon to succeed Dr Simmons. He built the best house in Perth at that time situated on the site of the present Presbyterian Church, St Andrews. It cost five hundred pounds including outhouses. He gave up the idea of marriage because of his poor health. Dr Alexander Collie decided to return to England per the 'Zebra', but died at Albany en route on 11 November 1836. He is commemorated in a brass plaque in Perth pavement for the year 1835.