In 1854 the proprietor of The Sydney Morning Herald, John Fairfax, invited John West to become its first official editor, and West moved to Sydney from where he guided debate on matters of colonial, national and international importance until his sudden death in Woollahra, Sydney, in 1873. His two-volume History of Tasmania, published in 1852, analysed the development of the Colony, the penal system and the condition of the Aboriginal people.
John Fairfax, owner of The Sydney Morning Herald, appointed John West as its first editor in 1854. West moved to Sydney and guided discussions on significant issues concerning Australia's colonial, national, and international affairs until his death in Woollahra, Sydney, in 1873. His two-volume History of Tasmania, published in 1852, examined the development of the colony, its penal system, and the state of Aboriginal people.