Frederick Renner

Frederich Emil Renner (1821-1893) was a doctor who dispensed medical advice to the team working on the Australian Overland Telegraph Line in the Northern Territory of Australia. His practice extended from Port Augusta to the Roper River, a distance of approximately 2600 kilometers.

The town of Renner Springs, Northern Territory, was named after him when the workers passed through the springs in 1872. In 1877, Dr. Renner saw a flock of birds while working on the Telegraph Line and found that the birds were drawn to the area by the natural springs.

Personal life
The Renner family descendants have access to information regarding his birthdate. His birthdate was October 14, 1821. and he died on January 30, 1893. He was married to Annie Buchanan Davie. They had 8 children. Their 4th child was named Frederick August Renner and he married Mary Agnes Muir in Albany, WA on October 30, 1889. He was married to Mary Muir, of the Muir family, which arrived in Western Australia in 1844.

Dr. Renner, who also served as a light horse trooper, was killed in action during the Gallipoli campaign on August 29, 1915. (This must be a different Dr Renner.)

Diaries
In the early 1980s, Jose Petrick, a well-known historian in the Alice Springs area, was awarded a government grant to transcribe the diaries of Dr. Renner. The diaries were published in 1983 as The Renner Diaries.