Austlit

The Reverend William Walter Watt studied for the Congregational ministry for six years at New College, London. Poor health led him to Australia in 1887. He had a ministry at Milton, Brisbane and in 1893 went to New Zealand. Later Watt had a ministry at Orange, New South Wales. Subsequenntly he joined the Presbyterian Church and was a Presbyterian minister at Ballina, Richmond River, Young and Gladesville, Sydney. In 1916 he was transferred to Wycheproof in Victoria.

The Reverend Watts was also an active botanist who published numerous papers on ferns and mosses in the Proceedings of the Linnean and Royal Societies of New South Wales. From 1909 to 1916 he was Honarary Custodian of Ferns and Mosses in the national herbarium of New South Wales.

(Source: James Nangle, 'Presidential Address', Journal and Proceedings of thr Royal Society of New South Wales, Volume 55. (1921): 3-4).