Harris arrived in
New South Wales as a surgeon's mate on the
Surprize charter, one of the six ships arriving as a part of the
second fleet in 1790. During his time in
New South Wales, he played a very active role in his community by growing in his profession and purchasing land. Due to the extent of the number of civil responsibilities Harris held, he became involved with traders and officers and was asked by Lieutenant Colonel William Patterson to be relieved of his duties that conflicted with his military duties. Harris actions as a Naval Officer included reporting private conversations from the King about his dissatisfaction of the military and this led to Harris being charged with ungentlemanlike conduct and faced an additional court martial six months later for supposedly disclosing voting actions. Harris was acquitted in both occasions and was debarred from the
civil office and was not up until 1804 that Harris was reinstated as a Naval Officer and was later re-sworn as a
magistrate and supervisor of the
police force. In 1807, Harris was dismissed as a Naval Officer and from the bench by Governor
William Bligh which lead to Harris becoming a bitter opponent of Governor
William Bligh, portraying him as "avaricious, dishonest and tyrannical" and his hostility towards Bligh won't back the military officers who was espoused in the
Rum Rebellion. However,
Major George Johnston reinstated Harris as a
magistrate in January 1808, however
Johnston was quick to lose favour in Harris from his criticism of
John Macarthur, a pioneer of the wool industry.
Johnston dismissed Harris again in April 1808 and Harris was ordered to London to deliver the rebel case against the
British government, however, Harris pleaded sick and in January 1809, he was appointed once again as a
magistrate. Harris left for
England and
Ireland in April 1809 for two years and returned accompanied by his newly wedded wife, 25 year old Eliza Jones, which married at the
Covent Garden's. In 1814, Harris resigned and returned to Port Jackson with his wife Eliza Jones and became a private settler. Harris kept his properties in control and devoted the final years of his life farming and stock raising while actively being involved in public affairs and served in many committees, including supporting the establishment of the
Bank of New South Wales and became one of the first directors. In 1819, he participated on
John Oxley's
Bathurst expedition as a surgeon. Within the same year of participating in
John Oxley's expedition, he was once again elected as a magistrate. In 1830s, Harris developed a hip problem which confined him to a wheelchair and he dropped out of community activities and began managing his pastoral and agricultural holdings and worked until his death on 27 April 1838. == Landholdings ==