Charles Russell

Charles Wilfred Russell (24 April 1907 – 21 October 1977) was an Australian politician, pastoralist and right wing activist who served briefly in both the Queensland and federal parliaments. Initially a member of the Country Party, he later became one of its key critics and campaigned actively against it in the 1950s and 1960s. His successful court action invalidating the Queensland government's stock levy in 1977, in the last year of his life, was one of his most significant achievements. Early life Russell was born at Willambi, Manilla, near Tamworth in New South Wales. He was the fourth of five children, and the only surviving son, born to grazier Wilfred Adams Russell (who served in the Legislative Assembly of Queensland 1926–32) and his wife Millicent, daughter of pastoralist Charles Baldwin. The family moved to Queensland in 1910, settling at Dalmally station near Roma. In 1923, Wilfred acquired Jimbour Station, a property in the Darling Downs built by Sir Joshua Bell. Charles was educated at Cranbrook School in Sydney, and later worked as a jackeroo on his father's western Queensland sheep stations. In 1930 he became manager of Nardoo station in Cunnamulla. Local politics and advocacy