Herbert Ross was born in the vicinity of Inverell in 1868. After studying Science at University of Edinburgh he returned to Sydney and enrolled at the University of Sydney to study topics associated with mining and civil engineering. Ross became the manager of gold mines in New South Wales and Queensland, and then practiced as a metallurgist.He also studied architecture under John Sulman at the University of Sydney and by 1900 had set up a practice as an architect and engineer.
