Point Stuart Coastal Reserve Mary River National Park Point Stuart Coastal Reserve An historic gem, this Reserve Australia (SA) looking for Stuart then set out (Jan 1861) protects the location where, copper, gold and pastoral with a larger party of 10 men on 24th July 1862, John lands; and, from his previous and 44 horses. They advanced McDouall Stuart’s exploring attempts to cross the continent, 150 miles (250 km) beyond expedition reached the knew a well watered route Attack Creek, but the tough, sea after riding over 2000 between Adelaide and the stony Sturt Plains were too miles across the continent ‘interior’. hard on the horses (their shoes wore out, concealed (about 3400 km). This epic Telegraph links south to north journey By 1861 the four mainland potholes were dangerous, and led to the route of the colonies (Vic, NSW, SA and water was scarce), so Stuart overland telegraph line; Qld) were telegraphically turned back to ensure the Britain annexing the NT linked. Interest and pressure expedition survived the return to South Australia (1863); grew to link Australia journey. pastoralism, settlement, the to England and Europe Burke and Wills Stuart Highway and rail by extending the British The Victorian government links. submarine cable from Java to was also keen to support a Access Dry Season Only the nearest land point on the successful expedition to cross Turn north off the Arnhem continent where Darwin now the continent. Burke and Hwy east of the Bark Hut, stands. Wills set off from Melbourne on to the Point Stuart Road, on 20th August 1860, reached Reward Offered continue 52 km to the Point the Gulf of Carpentaria on The SA government was keen th Stuart 4WD Track gates to discover a route for the 11 February 1861, but Taken from ‘ The Journals of John McDouall Stuart.’ (usually open June to October proposed telegraph link to tragically died on their return depending on road conditions). Britain, and offered£ 2,000 journey. Continue 27 km to the Reserve to the first person to cross the Stuart knew of their success gates, then 1.5 km to the Day continent from SA to the north and death before he set out Test Your Expedition Party • No horses are to be abused, Rules Enforced by Supply Use Area. coast. in October 1861 for his last Stuart’s expedition was successful kicked, or struck about the head. Control Officer successful attempt. because of his experience, careful • Everyone must be up at break of day, • Nothing to be taken out of bags Walk to Coast via Financing the Journey planning, discipline, bush skills and the bedclothes etc to be done up and without the Stock Control Memorial Stuart’s friends, William (Sorry - no road access) persistence. However, he laid down put into their proper places. Officer’s knowledge. Finke and pastoralists James Day Use Area strict rules for his party. • Horses brought in and unhobbled. • When anything is removed from a Start: and John Chambers financed 6 km return • No one is to leave the line of march pack it is to be packed up in the Distance: the expedition hoping Stuart If your ‘expedition party’ would like to exposed without the leaders knowledge (or his same manner as it was found. Conditions: would also find new pastoral travel by Stuart’s rules, first nominate floodplain and broken ground. two officers - Exploration Leader Officer-in-charge). • Each pair of bags to be of equal lands. • When leaving the camp no one is to Time: Allow 2 hours return. and Stock Control Officer - and some weight. Stuart’s Previous go without arms and ammunition. expeditioners. Here are the rules: • Breakfast to be ready at the same Drinking Water Attempts • No one is to fire on natives without time for which an ½ hour will be Carry and drink plenty Stuart had a strong personal Rules Enforced by Expedition orders unless in self defense. allowed. of water - there is none in the ambition to cross the Leader • No swearing or improper language. • Riding horses saddled first and Reserve. Calculate your needs continent, and had previously • Officers to see that orders to be • No journal to be kept or notes taken everything belonging to them at 6 litres per person per day. attempted to do so. In March promptly and willingly obeyed. (except the Naturalist). placed on the saddles. A Great Explorer 1860 he led a party of William Any disobedience, disagreement or • Saddles are not to be sat upon (except • When on the march, no water is to John McDouall Stuart was Kekwick, Benjamin Head neglect of duty must at once be when on a horse). be used from the canteens arguably the greatest inland and 13 horses. They reached reported to the leader. • Anyone detached on special duty without permission from the explorer of Australia. He was Attack Creek (70 km north • The officers will ensure that every from camp or on the march must John McDouall Stuart leader. an experienced surveyor and of Tennant Creek) but turned man does an equal share of work. report himself on his return. 1815 - 1866 bushman; had led expeditions turn back after an almost fatal to the north and west of South attack by hostile Aboriginal Taken from ‘Regulations of the Great Northern people. Exploring Expedition, 1862.’ Parks & Wildlife Commission of the Northern Territory Wildman Ranger Station Head Office - Level 1 JHV 2 Ph: (08) 8978 8986 Jape Homemaker Village, Millner NT 0810 D/06/2020PWCNT Information Sheet GPO Box 1448 DARWIN NT 0801 www.parksandwildlife.nt.gov.au Ph: (08) 8999 4555 For more information see our website: www.parksandwildlife.nt.gov.au or contact Tourism Top End (08) 8936 2499 or 1300 138 886 www.tourismtopend.com.au Stuart’s Great Northern Exploring Expedition across the Continent: October 1861 - July 1862 An Epic Journey time to graze. Stuart named this He returned to Britain where his on a visit to the site suggested the Stuart’s last expedition party was Thring Creek in appreciation Van Diemen Gulf achievements meant little. He tree be cut down and the engraved Stuart's Tree th larger than his previous parties. for Francis Thring’s ‘...conduct Point Stuart died in London on 5 June 1866 Historical Reserve piece sent to the Adelaide Museum. It consisted of 72 horses and 10 throughout the journey.’ Coastal Reserve F aged 50, and was buried at Kensal This was opposed as an act of GG men: Stuart (Commander), Wil- The next morning Stuart sent EE Green. vandalism. In 1902, a fire burnt the liam Kekwick (2nd in Command), Chambers Bay Thring out to scout ahead and find The Mystery of Stuart’s Tree tree to a charred stump. Francis Thring (3rd Officer, Cadet a way around the boggy wetlands Stuart’s diaries stated he reached k In 1971 the Reserves Board of the Surveyor), William Auld (Assis- Unlike the e to the mouth of the river. Thring re C k the coast west of the Adelaide NT placed a memorial cairn where neighbouring e t re tant), Stephen King Jnr, John Bil- u c returned with news that it was far Adelaide and C River, rather than west of the Mary y the tree once stood, which is still in liatt, James Frew Jnr, Heath Nash, Alligator Rivers, m too boggy for the horses. Stuart, m o n River. place today. T pa John McGorrerey (Shoeing Smith), the Mary does not m D always conscious of the safety and Sa D Frederick Waterhouse (Government have a distinct It was understandable that Stuart well being of his expedition party, mouth, but mistook his coastal position. Naturalist). decided not to waste the strength of reaches the sea CC through two small He calculated latitude using They officially left North Adelaide the horses on finding the mouth of tidal creeks. Shady Camp the sun and stars, but without th on 25 October 1861. When they what he thought was the Adelaide a chronometer, he could not reached the previous camp at New- River. ‘... the sea has been reached, Campsites and stops of Expedition accurately calculate longitude. castle Waters where they rested the which was the great object of the r Point Stuart Wilderness Lodge e Just half a degree of longitude iv A 'Lily Marsh' 18 July 1862 horses for a week before attempting expedition, and a practicable R separates the Adelaide and Mary B 'Anna Creek' 19-20 July 1862 to cross Sturt’s Plains. Stuart scout- route found through a splendid Rivers. Also, he used a map B Mistake Billabong C 'Fresh-water Marsh' 21- 22 July 1862 ed ahead finding waterholes, creeks, country from Newcastle Waters to B produced from the Admiralty ry D 'Thring Creek' 23 July 1862 springs and rivers, which he named it, abounding, for a great part of a M E Memorial Cairn surveys of the Beagle in 1838- after his exploration party. As they the way, in running streams well 39 which identified the Adelaide neared the coast they followed what stocked with fish; and this has been F ‘Charles Creek’ 24 July 1862 G Flag Raising - Charles Creek 25 July 1862 River as the only river west of the we now know as the Mary River, accomplished at a season of the Alligator Rivers. Interestingly, camped near what is now Mistake year during which we have not had Waterhouse (government naturalist Billabong and Shady Camp. Then, a drop of rain.’ A H A hem ighway on the expedition) reported to the via a similar route to today’s Pt Arn Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people beneath Flag Raising SA Parliament that he suspected Stuart’s Tree carved with large 2 ft (61 cm) initials.