Charles Heaphy | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 1820 London, England |
| Died | 3 August 1881 (aged 60–61) Brisbane, Australia |
| Resting place | Toowong Cemetery, Brisbane, Australia |
| Known for | Artist and surveyor Explorer |
| Parent | Thomas Heaphy |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance | New Zealand |
| Years of service | 1859–67 |
| Rank | Major |
| Unit | Auckland Volunteer Rifles |
| Battles / wars | New Zealand Wars |
| Awards | Victoria Cross |
| Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Parnell | |
| In office 5 June 1867 – 13 April 1870 | |
| Majority | Unopposed |
Charles Heaphy VC (1820 – 3 August 1881) was an English-born New Zealand explorer and recipient of the Victoria Cross (VC), the highest military award for gallantry "in the face of the enemy" that could be awarded to British and Empire forces at the time. He was the first soldier of the New Zealand armed forces to be awarded the VC. He was also a noted artist of the colonial period who created watercolours and sketches of early settler life in New Zealand.
Born in England, Heaphy joined the New Zealand Company in 1839. He arrived in New Zealand later that year and was commissioned to make a visual record of the company's work which was used to advertise the country to potential English migrants. Much of the next 2+1⁄2 years was spent travelling around New Zealand and executing paintings of the land and its inhabitants. When his contract with the company ended in 1842, he lived in Nelson for several years and explored large parts of the West Coast. He later moved north to Auckland to take up employment as a surveyor.
During the invasion of the Waikato, his militia unit was mobilised and it was his conduct at Paterangi, where he rescued British soldiers under fire, that saw him awarded the VC. As well as being the first soldier of the New Zealand armed forces to receive the VC, he was the first recipient from any militia force. After his military service ended, Heaphy served a term as Member of Parliament for Parnell. From 1870 to 1881, he held a variety of civil service positions. In his later years, his health declined and he retired from public service in May 1881. He moved to Queensland, in Australia, seeking a better climate in which to recover his health but died a few months after his arrival. He is buried at Toowong Cemetery in Brisbane.