Dredging of the first channel through the Brisbane River and into the Brisbane Port began in 1862. Though the path was originally planned by Lieutenant George Poynter Heath, RN, who was then appointed Marine Surveyor and was later to be appointed the Portmaster for Queensland, the path was later changed as the Superintendent of the dredge, Thomas Francis, located what he believed to be a better path. After much debate and a Select Committee of the Queensland Legislative Assembly, it was decided to continue with the path suggested by Francis. The dredging of the channel has completed in 1866 and it was known as the Francis Channel. However, Heath did not give up on his original path, and by 1882 work had begun dredging a path according to Heath's original path and by 1883 the new channel was operational.