William Bell Carlyle was a surgeon in the Royal Navy and Surgeon Superintendent of the convict ships Asia 1820  Morley 1823 Henry 1825 Andromeda 1827 Phoenix 1828  and  Marquis of Huntley 1830. 

He was granted 2000 acres of land which he took up near Kingdon Ponds. In the 1828 Census, 350 acres were cleared and there were 9 horses, 87 horned cattle and 475 sheep on the property.

In 1935 the Sydney Morning Herald published 'Memories of Pioneers' written by Mary Graham in which she refers to William Bell Carlyle:

Scone, one of the finest and most progressive towns in the Upper Hunter district is a place with an interesting history, the home of many pioneers who have left memories of good works and noble deeds. One of the earliest settlers was William Bell Carlyle, R.N., a ship's surgeon, who was given first a grant of 2000 acres of land at Kingdon Ponds which was called Satur. Last year (1934) the centenary of the Scone Hospital was celebrated, and many interesting facts were brought to light. The first settlement of the Scone district took place during the penal period, and there was a convict establishment at Segenhoe. Governor Hunter was Hunter was considered a fine man, and very proud were the old settlers that the river running through the district should be named after him - the Hunter - and proud too, are the descendants of these pioneers living today of the fact that the Hunter Valley has produced so fine a stamp of people. Without digressing the names of McIntyre, Potter Macqueen, the Parburys, Bowman, Dumaresq, Bell, Clark, Rankin, Docker, Robertson, Cox, Brodie and Little are among those with many others always spoken of with respect.

It was when what was called the Queen Caroline trouble was taking place in England in the early twenties of last century that many of the upper classes in England became involved in the trouble and, being considered politically undesirable, were sent overseas and given grants of land; and it was many of these that settled in the Satur or Scone district.

One thing claimed for Dr. Carlyle was that it was he who introduced the prickly pear, and it is said its more extensive growth in Queensland can be traced to this district, it having been taken north and transplanted by one of Queensland's first squatters, Patrick Leslie on one of his journeys. It was in 1823 that nephews of Dr. Carlyle, the Messrs Francis Little and Archibald Little came to Invermein and the first settlement was formed with a Court and Bench of magistrates for the whole district which was becoming extensive. Dr. Carlyle, Captain Dumaresq and Francis Little were the first trio of magistrates.' SMH 6 April 1935

William Carlyle was assigned convict servants in the 1820's - Jonathon Savage who arrived on the Asia in 1820 and Robert Challens who arrived on the Surry.