DOCSLIB.ORG

“Brave and Gallant”: Decolonising the Myths of Burke and Wills

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
“Brave and Gallant”: Decolonising the Myths of Burke and Wills Becoming “Brave and Gallant”: decolonising the myths of Burke and Wills Cross-cultural exchanges and the co-production of knowledge during the Victorian Exploring Expedition and the subsequent Relief Expeditions i Peta Jeffries BA (Visual Arts) Honours, Grad Dip (Environment and Planning) This thesis is submitted in total fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Federation University PO Box 663 University Drive, Mount Helen Ballarat, Victoria 3353 Australia Submitted June 2015 ii ABSTRACT The history of the Victorian Exploring Expedition (VEE), also known as ‘Burke and Wills’, has commonly been told as a story of ‘brave and gallant men’ who ventured into an unfamiliar landscape and became victims of the ‘ghastly blank’ interior of Australia. Visual artists and historians have memorialised these men as solo-hero explorers who sacrificed their youth and life potential for the sake of Australian nation. The myth of Burke and Wills is a constructed narrative and symbol of glory and achievement that denies the involvement of significant others in exploration and geographical knowledge creation. The path the VEE created through the centre of Australia opened up the broader continent for rapid colonisation and imperial expansion. The tragic legacy of the deaths of Burke and Wills is part of the Australian identity, however, some major aspects of the VEE successes and failures have been sidelined, silenced and even completely ignored in many historical accounts. The historical and visual art accounts that contributed to the memorialisation of Burke and Wills often denied the involvement of other exploration team members, the relief expeditions who went in search of the missing explorers, various intermediaries, guides, go-betweens and significantly Aboriginal peoples’ close involvement and or resistance to interior exploration. Yandruwandha people have been remembered as a friendly and accommodating community who assisted the explorers in their last days and who cared for John King. Within the archives and social memories are examples of agency, power, resistance, and varied perspectives of Burke and Wills. This ethnographic history asks why relations between the explorers, Aboriginal peoples and landscape have been told the way they have and provides examples of encounter and exchange, mutual adaptation and the co-production of knowledge as a way to decolonise the myths of Burke and Wills. iii iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to acknowledge the traditional owners past and present of those whose Country1 the VEE and each of the subsequent Relief Expeditions travelled through. These expeditions covered a large expanse of eastern Australia and the implications of these expeditions are tremendous. In particular I would like to acknowledge Muthi Muthi (Madi Madi/Madhi Madhi) and Wemba Wemba people and their Country, specifically Mary Pappin and Verna Eade who welcomed me into their homes and shared personal details about their lives. My conversations with Mary have guided this thesis. It is an absolute privilege and honour to be given such responsibility and I hope that this work improves some people’s experiences of ‘whitefella’ history. I thank Yvonne and Bruce Mitchell for all their kindness and support. I would also like to acknowledge Yandruwandha and Yawarrawarrka and thank Barbara Allen (nee Kerwin) and Faye Nicholls who also warmly welcomed me into their homes. These two women generously shared some of their memories and many wonderful stories of being on Country. Meeting each of these women has taught me a great deal about how to approach the historical past in the present. I wish that I could have met more people throughout this respectively short project to hear and learn about their experiences of colonial histories. For some people these exploration and scientific 1 Country (as opposed to country) refers to a popular definition of Aboriginal Country developed by Deborah Bird Rose – country is a ‘nourishing terrain’, ‘a place that gives and receives life’ (Rose, 1996, p. 7). v expeditions do not represent a peaceful and friendly encounter or experience and I hope that this thesis begins to reconcile some of the previous injustices of how this history has been memorialised, remembered and commemorated. I would also like to acknowledge Federation University; my supervisors Professor Ian Clark and Associate Professor Fred Cahir; the Royal Society of Victoria; Dave Phoenix the president of the Burke and Wills Historical Society and the creator of the very helpful Burke and Wills website; and the Australian Research Council for making this project possible. Additionally I would like to acknowledge Maxine Briggs and Shane Carmody of the State Library of Victoria for their support and introducing me to the work of Greg Dening, which subsequently led me to Tiffany Shellam and the methodology of ethnographic history. I am most appreciative of the invaluable feedback, advice and guidance from Tiffany Shellam and Martin Mulligan. I would also like to acknowledge Luise Hercus for guiding me through the extensive archives at AIATSIS and identifying the recordings made in 1977 at Mutawintji of Lorna Dixon whose Country the VEE passed through. Also, I thank Jeannette Hope, who has welcomed me into to her home and life and introduced me to amazing people and places. I would also like to acknowledge Barkindji and Paarkinji people past and present whose Country I have been inspired and nurtured by for many years. Thank you to my wonderful friends and family for all the support and inspiration. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS v TABLE OF CONTENTS vii Table of Figures ix Prologue x Chapter One: Introduction 1 Background 2 Personal background and influences 2 Statement of problem or concern 15 Purposes 17 Significance and Scope 18 Notes on Terminology 21 Literature of Burke and Wills and the missing archives 24 Chapter Two: Research Design 28 Methodology 29 The role of culture: Past & Present, Strange & Familiar 33 Ethics and Limitations 37 Chapter Three: Literature Review 40 Introduction 41 Burke and Wills: heroes or failures? – The creation of the myth 49 Myth and ‘erasure’ 62 The portrayal of landscape 87 Summary and Implications 101 Chapter Four: Tracing Colonial Attitudes 105 The Ghastly Blank and the advancement of Science 113 Men of science and the race to the Gulf 119 Aboriginal skill surpassing European ability 126 William Wills in Baraba Baraba country 133 Scientific Revolution and the Enlightenment 137 Making way through Aboriginal Country 139 ‘Black fellow make grass grow’ 147 Story-telling, yarning and Corroboree 149 Chapter Five: The psychological frontier 160 Storied landscape 161 Death of Burke and Wills on the Cooper 176 Oral histories and social memories 184 Meeting with the women of the Cooper in Broken Hill 188 ‘What for whitefellow not send horses and grub?’ 191 Captain Cook and the ‘wild people’ 197 Chapter Six: Mutual adaptation 206 Burke and Wills Relief - Aboriginal Police Troopers and guides 208 Jemmy, the Queensland Mounted Police Trooper from Deniliquin 217 Historical traces of reliance on Aboriginal guides 219 Stories that influenced encounters with people and place 226 Wittin – guiding through his Country 247 Chapter Seven: Influence of Aboriginal Country 264 vii Becker’s sublime sentiment: a link between art and science 270 Humboldtian influence 273 Embracing Indigenous knowledge 277 Interpreting Mutawintji 280 Influence of art theory 284 Modern art: Australia’s unique art movement 289 Chapter Eight: Telling Stories –writing history 297 Establishing a foundation for analysis and interpretation 299 In Balranald 300 Acknowledging Aboriginal ownership 301 ‘Captain Cookism did a good job’ 302 Tin Tin Bidara Road name change to Burke and Wills Road 303 How do we teach this history? How do I tell these stories? 305 Camping on the site of a Corroboree 306 Missionary Management 308 Revisiting the archives and reflecting upon methodology 309 Managing the land 312 Misrepresenting Landscape and Story 314 Aboriginal Guides and Intermediaries 316 Discussion 327 Chapter Nine: Discussion – closing analysis 329 Learning from the myth 331 Burke and Wills – death and belonging 339 Concluding remarks 341 Bibliography 344 Primary sources - manuscripts 344 Primary sources - published 346 Newspapers, gazettes, magazines and art exhibition catalogues 348 Diaries, Journals, Field Notes, Proceedings, Directions, Letters and Memoirs 351 Oral history interviews and linguistic transcriptions 355 Secondary sources – published 356 Articles 383 Films and Music 393 Secondary sources – unpublished 393 Websites, Radio and Audio-visual material 394 viii Table of Figures Figure 1 ‘Johnson’s Australia’ Geographicus – The unmapped centre of Australia ................................................................................................................................................................ xiii Figure 2 Map of Queensland and unclaimed territory ...................................................... xv Figure 3 The new Queensland boundary following Landsborough’s expedition ... xvi Figure 4 Depot Junction: The Bamamoro Cr. with the Darling, 7 miles from Menindie .............................................................................................................................................. xx Figure 5 Burke and Wills Track .............................................................................................. xxiv Figure 6 Portrait of Dick, the brave and gallant
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Aboriginal History Journal
    ABORIGINAL HISTORY Volume 38, 2014 ABORIGINAL HISTORY Volume 38, 2014 Published by ANU Press and Aboriginal History Inc. The Australian National University Canberra ACT 0200, Australia Email: [email protected] This title is also available online at: http://press.anu.edu.au All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher. Aboriginal History Incorporated Aboriginal History Inc. is a part of the Australian Centre for Indigenous History, Research School of Social Sciences, The Australian National University, and gratefully acknowledges the support of the School of History and the National Centre for Indigenous Studies, The Australian National University. Aboriginal History Inc. is administered by an Editorial Board which is responsible for all unsigned material. Views and opinions expressed by the author are not necessarily shared by Board members. Editor Shino Konishi, Book Review Editor Luise Hercus, Copy Editor Geoff Hunt. About Aboriginal History Aboriginal History is a refereed journal that presents articles and information in Australian ethnohistory and contact and post-contact history of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Historical studies based on anthropological, archaeological, linguistic and sociological research, including comparative studies of other ethnic groups such as Pacific Islanders in Australia, are welcomed. Subjects include recorded oral traditions and biographies, narratives in local languages with translations, previously unpublished manuscript accounts, archival and bibliographic articles, and book reviews. Contacting Aboriginal History All correspondence should be addressed to the Editors, Aboriginal History Inc., ACIH, School of History, RSSS, Coombs Building (9) ANU, ACT, 0200, or [email protected].
    [Show full text]
  • Heritage of the Birdsville and Strzelecki Tracks
    Department for Environment and Heritage Heritage of the Birdsville and Strzelecki Tracks Part of the Far North & Far West Region (Region 13) Historical Research Pty Ltd Adelaide in association with Austral Archaeology Pty Ltd Lyn Leader-Elliott Iris Iwanicki December 2002 Frontispiece Woolshed, Cordillo Downs Station (SHP:009) The Birdsville & Strzelecki Tracks Heritage Survey was financed by the South Australian Government (through the State Heritage Fund) and the Commonwealth of Australia (through the Australian Heritage Commission). It was carried out by heritage consultants Historical Research Pty Ltd, in association with Austral Archaeology Pty Ltd, Lyn Leader-Elliott and Iris Iwanicki between April 2001 and December 2002. The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the South Australian Government or the Commonwealth of Australia and they do not accept responsibility for any advice or information in relation to this material. All recommendations are the opinions of the heritage consultants Historical Research Pty Ltd (or their subconsultants) and may not necessarily be acted upon by the State Heritage Authority or the Australian Heritage Commission. Information presented in this document may be copied for non-commercial purposes including for personal or educational uses. Reproduction for purposes other than those given above requires written permission from the South Australian Government or the Commonwealth of Australia. Requests and enquiries should be addressed to either the Manager, Heritage Branch, Department for Environment and Heritage, GPO Box 1047, Adelaide, SA, 5001, or email [email protected], or the Manager, Copyright Services, Info Access, GPO Box 1920, Canberra, ACT, 2601, or email [email protected].
    [Show full text]
  • Aboriginal Spatial Organization in the Study Area
    IN QUEST OF NARGUN AND NYOLS: A HISTORY OF INDIGENOUS TOURISM AT THE BUCHAN CAVES RESERVE – Associate Professor Ian D. Clark ABSTRACT description of Duke, O’Rourke, and Dickson (Dixon) caves, and the Spring Creek, Wilson This paper is concerned to document tourism and Creek, and Murrindal caves. He recommended indigenous heritage values associated with the that the Buchan Caves be developed as a tourist Buchan Caves Reserve in Gippsland, Victoria, attraction, along the lines of the Jenolan Caves in Australia. It shows that indigenous values have New South Wales. Stirling made ground plans of not been at the forefront of the development of the the Buchan and neighbouring caves and heliotype tourism product at the Buchan Reserve. The plates from the expedition photographs by J H inattention to Aboriginal values within the Harvey, illustrating views in Wilson and Dickson development of tourism may best be understood caves. The status of these photographs (and as a structural matter, a view from a window others by Harvey not published in the report) has which has been carefully placed to exclude a long been seen as being the first – but a much whole quadrant of the landscape. Indigenous earlier photograph has now come to light and its values of places were rarely discussed because provenance is currently being sought for they were not in the eye of the vision, ‘out of sight’ confirmation (E Hamilton-Smith pers. comm. and ‘out of mind’. Indigenous tourism at Buchan 17/5/2007). does not challenge this understanding. INTRODUCTION This paper is concerned to document tourism and indigenous heritage values associated with the Buchan Caves Reserve in Gippsland, Victoria, Australia.
    [Show full text]
  • Mount Ommaney
    Street Name Register Mount Ommaney Last updated : August 2020 MOUNT OMMANEY (established January 1970 – 3rd Centenary suburb) Originally named by Queensland Place Names Board on 1 July 1969. Name and boundaries confirmed by Minister for Survey and Valuation, Urban and Regional Affairs on 11 August 1975. Suburb The name is derived from hill feature, possibly named after John OMMANNEY, (1837-1856), nephew of Dr Stephen Simpson of Wolston House, OMMANNEY having been killed nearby in a fall from a horse. History Mount Ommaney was designed as a series of exclusive courts, many named after prominent Australian politicians and explorers, as well as artists from all genre of classical music. MOUNT OMMANEY A Abel Smith Crescent Sir Henry ABEL SMITH was Governor of Queensland 1958-1966 Archer Court ?? David ARCHER (1860-1900) was an explorer and botanist. In 1841 he took up Durandur Station in the Moreton district Arrabri Avenue Aboriginal word meaning “big mountain” (S.E. Endacott) renamed from Doonkuna (meaning ‘rising’) St., Jindalee in 1969 Augusta Circuit B Bartok Place Bela BARTOK (1881-1945) – Hungarian composer Beagle Place Name of an English ship used to survey the Australian coastline Becker Place Ludwig BECKER (?1808-1861) was an artist, explorer and naturalist Bedwell Place A surveyor on the survey ship ‘Pearl’ in the 1870s (BCC Archives) Bizet Close Georges BIZET (1838-1875) – French composer Blaxland Court Gregory BLAXLAND (1778-1853) was an explorer and pioneer farmer of Australia who in 1813 was in the first party to cross the Blue Mountains (NSW) in the Great Dividing Range Bondel Place Bounty Street Captain William Bligh’s ship ‘The Bounty’ Bowles Street After W L Bowles, a modern Australian sculptor Bowman Place Burke Court Robert O’Hara BURKE (1820-1861) and William WILLS in 1860 were the first explorers to cross Australia from south to north.
    [Show full text]
  • Australia's National Heritage
    AUSTRALIA’S australia’s national heritage © Commonwealth of Australia, 2010 Published by the Australian Government Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts ISBN: 978-1-921733-02-4 Information in this document may be copied for personal use or published for educational purposes, provided that any extracts are fully acknowledged. Heritage Division Australian Government Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts GPO Box 787 Canberra ACT 2601 Australia Email [email protected] Phone 1800 803 772 Images used throughout are © Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts and associated photographers unless otherwise noted. Front cover images courtesy: Botanic Gardens Trust, Joe Shemesh, Brickendon Estate, Stuart Cohen, iStockphoto Back cover: AGAD, GBRMPA, iStockphoto “Our heritage provides an enduring golden thread that binds our diverse past with our life today and the stories of tomorrow.” Anonymous Willandra Lakes Region II AUSTRALIA’S NATIONAL HERITAGE A message from the Minister Welcome to the second edition of Australia’s National Heritage celebrating the 87 special places on Australia’s National Heritage List. Australia’s heritage places are a source of great national pride. Each and every site tells a unique Australian story. These places and stories have laid the foundations of our shared national identity upon which our communities are built. The treasured places and their stories featured throughout this book represent Australia’s remarkably diverse natural environment. Places such as the Glass House Mountains and the picturesque Australian Alps. Other places celebrate Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture—the world’s oldest continuous culture on earth—through places such as the Brewarrina Fish Traps and Mount William Stone Hatchet Quarry.
    [Show full text]
  • We Would Rather Be Ruined Than Changed We Would Rather Die in Our Dread Than Climb the Cross of the Moment and Let Our Illusions Die W.H
    SOME EARLY ILLUSIONS CONCERNING NORTH QUEENSLAND Ray Sumner Department of Geography James Cook University of North Queensland We would rather be ruined than changed We would rather die in our dread Than climb the cross of the moment And let our illusions die W.H. Auden Our assessment of any landscape results as much from how we view it as from the reality of what is actually there. As Brookfield said "decision makers operating in an environment base their decisions on the environ- ment as they perceive it, not as it is". 1 The Europeans who explored tropical Queensland entered an unknown land which they were required to examine and then offer an assessment of its potential. Since the environment confronted the explorers with a situation of complete uncertainty, a subjective error component was inevitable in their description and analysis, but in fact their reaction to the new environment was affected by what they wanted to see, or thought they saw, as much as by what was actually there. The image of new country recounted by each explorer resulted largely from his response to visual stimuli in the new environment. Since observation and interpretation are enhanced by some degree of familiarity, a history of prior exploration in the south might be expected to improve the performance of explorers in the Tropics, but this was no criterion for an objective appraisal of the new areas. After three successful journeys of exploration in southern states, the Surveyor-General Major (later Sir) Thomas Mitchell concluded his trip to central Queensland with a spectacular blunder; Edmund Kennedy had a background of inland journeys, but died in a disastrous attempt on Cape York.
    [Show full text]
  • Religion, Cultural Diversity and Safeguarding Australia
    Cultural DiversityReligion, and Safeguarding Australia A Partnership under the Australian Government’s Living In Harmony initiative by Desmond Cahill, Gary Bouma, Hass Dellal and Michael Leahy DEPARTMENT OF IMMIGRATION AND MULTICULTURAL AND INDIGENOUS AFFAIRS and AUSTRALIAN MULTICULTURAL FOUNDATION in association with the WORLD CONFERENCE OF RELIGIONS FOR PEACE, RMIT UNIVERSITY and MONASH UNIVERSITY (c) Copyright Commonwealth of Australia 2004 This work is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced by any process without prior written permission from the Commonwealth available from the Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts. Requests and inquiries concerning reproduction and rights should be addressed to the Commonwealth Copyright Administration, Intellectual Property Branch, Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, GPO Box 2154, Canberra ACT 2601 or at http:www.dcita.gov.au The statement and views expressed in the personal profiles in this book are those of the profiled person and are not necessarily those of the Commonwealth, its employees officers and agents. Design and layout Done...ByFriday Printed by National Capital Printing ISBN: 0-9756064-0-9 Religion,Cultural Diversity andSafeguarding Australia 3 contents Chapter One Introduction . .6 Religion in a Globalising World . .6 Religion and Social Capital . .9 Aim and Objectives of the Project . 11 Project Strategy . 13 Chapter Two Historical Perspectives: Till World War II . 21 The Beginnings of Aboriginal Spirituality . 21 Initial Muslim Contact . 22 The Australian Foundations of Christianity . 23 The Catholic Church and Australian Fermentation . 26 The Nonconformist Presence in Australia . 28 The Lutherans in Australia . 30 The Orthodox Churches in Australia .
    [Show full text]
  • Submission Cover Sheets
    Submission Cover Sheet Fingerboards Mineral Sands Project Inquiry and Advisory 204 Committee - EES Request to be heard?: No Full Name: Tracey Solomon Organisation: Affected property: Attachment 1: Mining_Letter_re_ Attachment 2: Appendix_1-11.pd Attachment 3: Comments: see attached submission 25 October 2020 Dear Inquiry and Advisory Committee members, Re: Fingerboards Mineral Sands Project Environment Effects Statement August 2020 Appendix A017 Cultural Heritage Impact Assessment In your position you relay on current, relevant and accurate data to make an informed decision on what projects are sustainable, viable and in the best interests of the community both economically and socially. You will receive many submissions of opposition to this proposal as it will have an impact socially and economically on the region as the location of the mine is in a primary production area. I would like to address important public data missing from the A017 Cultural Heritage Impact Assessment so you can gain a clear picture of what information has been given on the area. STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT Extract Appendix A017 3.3 Stakeholder Engagement While Aboriginal and historical cultural heritage is of interest to several key stakeholders and regulators, it has not generated significant community interest despite the project team including information about all aspects of the project’s construction and operation in publications and other information about the project. To better establish these values, a Cultural Values Workshop was held in December 2018. Due
    [Show full text]
  • Full Tail Credits
    (Note: many databases use uncorrected data from the VHS release of the film. Murray's 1995 Australian Film noted that the cast credits were white against a bleached sky and on video were totally unreadable, and so the book took its credits from the Monthly Film Bulletin. The credits below are from the DVD release, which are more readable and so clarified some details regarding spelling). Directed by Graeme Clifford Produced by Graeme Clifford and John Sexton Executive Producers Terry Jackman Michael Edgley Written by Michael Thomas Music by Peter Sculthorpe Director of Photography Russell Boyd, A.C.S. Production Designer Ross Major Costume Designer George Liddle Edited by Tim Wellburn Casting M & L Casting Consultants Featuring Greta Scacchi as 'Julia Matthews' Matthew Fargher Chris Haywood Ralph Cotterill Drew Forsythe Ron Blanchard Monroe Reimers Barry Hill Hugh Keays-Byrne Roderick Williams Arthur Dignam Ken Goodlet Peter Collingwood Edward Hepple CAST Robert O'Hara Burke Jack Thompson William John Wills Nigel Havers Julia Matthews Greta Scacchi John King Matthew Fargher Charley Gray Ralph Cotterill William Brahe Drew Forsythe Tom McDonagh Chris Haywood Dost Mahomet Monroe Reimers Bill Patton Ron Blanchard George Landells Barry Hill Bill Wright Roderick Williams Ambrose Kyte Hugh Keays-Byrne Sir William Stawell Arthur Dignam Dr. John Macadam Ken Goodlet Ludwig Becker Edward Hepple Dr. William Wills Peter Collingwood Bessie Wills Susanna Harker The Mayor Martin Redpath Mrs. Kyte Julie Hamilton Edwin Welch Nick Carrafa Alfred Howitt John Gregg Jimmy Paul Pryor Tom Paine Deryck Barnes Harry Les Foxcroft Dick Nick Magasic Pub Kid John Penman Town Black Stan Roach Commissioner May Redmond Phillips Journalist Mark Pegler Mrs Macadam Ailsa Carpenter Mayor's Wife Antoinette Blaxland Julia's Dresser Mary Acres Sepoys Soma Dissanyake David Bracks Jay Mahatheva Kyte's Daughters Lucy Bell Bernadette Hockings Christopher Macadam Matthew Savage Mr.
    [Show full text]
  • Highways Byways
    Highways AND Byways THE ORIGIN OF TOWNSVILLE STREET NAMES Compiled by John Mathew Townsville Library Service 1995 Revised edition 2008 Acknowledgements Australian War Memorial John Oxley Library Queensland Archives Lands Department James Cook University Library Family History Library Townsville City Council, Planning and Development Services Front Cover Photograph Queensland 1897. Flinders Street Townsville Local History Collection, Citilibraries Townsville Copyright Townsville Library Service 2008 ISBN 0 9578987 54 Page 2 Introduction How many visitors to our City have seen a street sign bearing their family name and wondered who the street was named after? How many students have come to the Library seeking the origin of their street or suburb name? We at the Townsville Library Service were not always able to find the answers and so the idea for Highways and Byways was born. Mr. John Mathew, local historian, retired Town Planner and long time Library supporter, was pressed into service to carry out the research. Since 1988 he has been steadily following leads, discarding red herrings and confirming how our streets got their names. Some remain a mystery and we would love to hear from anyone who has information to share. Where did your street get its name? Originally streets were named by the Council to honour a public figure. As the City grew, street names were and are proposed by developers, checked for duplication and approved by Department of Planning and Development Services. Many suburbs have a theme. For example the City and North Ward areas celebrate famous explorers. The streets of Hyde Park and part of Gulliver are named after London streets and English cities and counties.
    [Show full text]
  • RETIRED POLICE ASSOCIATION of TASMANIA Inc Patron: Sir Max
    Postal Address P.O. Box 546, Rosny Park Tasmania 7018 RETIRED POLICE ASSOCIATION OF TASMANIA i n c Newsleer Issue: January 2017 Email: [email protected] Patron: Sir ax Bingham $C, BCL, LLB, LL Secretary Syd McClymont President David Plumpton Treasurer Steve Collidge President’s Message It is an honour and privilege to In that regard one particular issue I have been nominated and elected intend to pursue at the earliest President of the Retired Police opportunity is the delay the Association of Tasmania. I will partners of deceased members seem certainly do all I can to ensure I to suffer when transitioning pension maintain the excellent work and payments. This matter has recently efforts of the returned committee been brought to the attention of the members and executive. RPAT and I am personally aware of occasions when a partner has had to Can I thank all of you who have wait six months before the pension taken the time to forward is transitioned to their benefit. messages of support and encouragement— I sincerely This is their pension and nothing appreciate your words and I will more than they are entitled to; any do all I can to live up to your delay at a time of significant grief is expectations. unacceptable. I would also like to thank outgoing President Dave This is a situation that would no doubt also affect Fleming who has provided me with guidance after serving police officers and their families. I therefore performing the President’s role for the past four intend to liaise with the Police Association of years and doing so with integrity and a high level of Tasmania so we may present a united approach.
    [Show full text]
  • Medallion No 7 1960 Burke and Wills Expedition Centenary
    NUMISMATIC ASSOCIATION OF VICTORIA Medallion No 7 1960 Burke and Wills Expedition Centenary Event Commemorated This medallion was issued to commemorate centenary of the Burke and Wills expedition which was the first to cross Australia from South to North. The early settlement of Australia was around the coastal fringes. As settlers sought more land for grazing cattle and sheep, and also for growing crops, explorers penetrated further into the interior of the continent. A significant cash prize was offered for the first exploring party to cross the continent from south to north. The newly formed Royal Society of Victoria sponsored the Victorian Exploring Expedition, led by Robert O’Hara Burke, left Melbourne on 20 August 1860 and reached Menindee (on the Darling River in New South Wales) on 14 October. On 19 October, part of the expedition headed northwest and established a depot on Cooper Creek on 11 November. William Wright, the third in command, had been instructed to follow with the supplies at the first opportunity; however he delayed leaving Medindie until 26 January 1861. Leaving William Brahe in charge of the Depot, Burke, long with William John Wills (second in command), John King, and Charles Grey had headed north on 16 December 1860 and reached the Gulf of Carpentaria on 11 February 1861 becoming the first to cross the continent from south to north. On the return trip to Coopers Creek, Grey died on 17 April. The other three reached the Depot late on 21 April only hours after the rest of the Expedition had left that morning! Instead of following Brahe’s party back to Medindie (650 km without water), the explorers followed Cooper Creek downstream (with the idea of eventually getting to Adelaide via Mt Hopeless, 250 km away, where there was a police outpost).
    [Show full text]