Herbert Basedow, anthropologist, was born at Kent Town, South Australia, on October 27, 1881. He was the youngest son of MPF Basedow, who was the Minister of Education in the W Morgan ministry. Educated at Prince Alfred College, the School of Mines, Adelaide and the University of Adelaide; Basedow subsequently studied at the Universities of Heidelberg, Gottingen, Breslau and Zurich and graduated MA, MD, PhD and BSc.
He entered the Geological Department of South Australia and became assistant government geologist. He accompanied and led several government and private exploratory expeditions into Central and Northern Australia, and developed an interest in Aboriginal people, and lived a considerable time among them. Basedow participated in the following expeditions:-
- Reconnaissance of the Northern Territory under LA Wells
- Exploratory cruise of the northern waters on the steam ship "White Start" with Sir George Le Hunte
- Expedition into unknown territory of the Northwest and Northern Kimberleys, Western Australia
- Leichhardt Search Party Expedition (Royal Geographical Society of Australia, SA Branch) into the Barcoo District, Queensland
- Expedition to Java and Singapore in search of oil
- Vice-Regal Expedition, 1923
- Mackay Exploring Expedition, to Central Australia May - August 1926
- Expedition to Lake Amadeus, Central Australia 1926
- Expedition to Arneham Land, Central Australia 1928
After leaving the Geological Department, Basedow was appointed, in 1909, to take charge of the Aborigines' Department for the Commonwealth Government in the Northern Territory. Later he became Chief Protector of Aborigines and Chief Medical Officer of the Northern Territory, as well as consulting geologist and member of the Advisory Council of Port Darwin. He also held the position of Special Aborigines Commissioner for Northern Territory and South Australia.
In 1925, he published
The Australian Aboriginal a volume of over 400 pages with many illustrations. In 1927 he stood for Barossa in the South Australian House of Assembly as an independent candidate, was elected and held the seat until 1930. He was again elected for the same constituency in April 1933.
He died on June 4, 1933. In 1919 he married Live Nell, daughter of A C Noyes who survived him. His
Knights of the Boomerang: episodes from a life spent among the native tribes of Australia was published posthumously in 1935, and Basedow was also the author of various pamphlets on anthropology and geology.
Many honorary fellowships of learned societies in various parts of the world were confered on Dr Basedow for his services to science and exploration.