The Burke, Wills, King and Yandruwandha National Heritage

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

The Burke, Wills, King and Yandruwandha National Heritage The Burke, Wills, King and Yandruwandha National Heritage Place The Burke, Wills, King and Yandruwandha National Heritage Place which tells the story of the ill-fated Burke and Wills Expedition, was included in the National Heritage List on 22 January 2016. The Burke and Wills Expedition 1860–1861 The Burke and Wills expedition is one of Australia’s best known stories of exploration. On 20 August 1860, at Royal Park in Melbourne, over 15 000 spectators watched the expedition depart on the first ever overland attempt to reach the Gulf of Carpentaria. With 22 men, 26 camels, 23 horses and several supply wagons, it was the best equipped exploration party in Australia’s history. Despite its high profile, the expedition was led by Made up of five sites and a narrow corridor along the Robert O’Hara Burke; a man with little experience in Cooper Creek, the Burke, Wills, King and Yandruwandha exploration. William John Wills was the surveyor and National Heritage Place is of outstanding heritage value to John King, a veteran of the British Army, was in charge of the nation as the setting for the key events associated with the cameleers. the Burke and Wills Expedition. On 11 November 1860 the party arrived at Fort Wills Located over 1000 kilometres northeast of Adelaide, the five on Cooper Creek—the furthest extent of previous inland expedition sites—the Dig Tree and Fort Wills Site, Howitt’s exploration. Burke established a depot and split the group Site, Burke’s Tree, King’s Site and Wills’ Site—are located in two. Burke, Wills, King and Charles Gray were to head along the course of Cooper Creek from Queensland to north on 16 December while William Brahe, William South Australia. Patton and Thomas McDonald were to remain at Fort Wills until Burke’s group returned or three months had passed. Images: (top) Dig Tree (© Department of the Environment) (bottom) The Burke and Wills Australian exploring expedition, Thomas Adams Hills, (© National Library of Australia) http://nla.gov.au/nla.pic-an8960212 HER138.0116 environment.gov.au In a few weeks it became apparent Burke, Wills and King were not able to go any further. With supplies now depleted they became increasingly dependent on the local Yandruwandha Aboriginal people for survival. The Yandruwandha provided them with fish, and processed nardoo—a native plant that is toxic in its unprocessed state. Despite the support of the Yandruwandha, the explorers’ health continued to deteriorate and by June 1861 both Wills and Burke had died. John King was the sole survivor from the journey north. His journal, buried at the Dig Tree, tells of the kindness of the Yandruwandha people and their treatment of him as ‘one of their own’ over the next three months until Alfred Howitt found him on 15 September 1861. Alfred Howitt and John King returned to Melbourne to a heroes’ welcome. Two years later Howitt returned to Cooper Creek to retrieve the bodies of Burke and Wills. An estimated 40 000 spectators saw their state funeral in Melbourne on 21 January 1863. National Heritage Listing National Heritage listing recognises the outstanding significance of the Burke and Wills expedition sites to Australia. The expedition was a defining moment in Australia’s cultural Burke and his party reached the tidal channels of the Gulf history and provides important insights into the nineteenth on 10 February 1861, technically fulfilling their objective century attitudes towards the Australian environment. of crossing the country from south to north. With supplies The Yandruwandha Aboriginal people, who provided vital running low, they quickly began their journey south. assistance to the expedition, are an essential part of the story of Monsoonal rains and flooding made the return journey the expedition. treacherous. Just days before they were to reach Fort Wills, Charles Grey died from dysentery on 17 April 1861. The maps and information from the Burke and Wills expedition, and those of the relief and rescue parties, made it possible for Meanwhile the group at Fort Wills had held on for four months. significant areas of grazing land to be opened up throughout Running out of supplies and suffering the effects of scurvy, inland Australia. The tragic story of the expedition has captured William Brahe decided to return south. They buried supplies by the imagination of Australians and has become part of our a tree now known as the Dig Tree and marked it to alert Burke’s nation’s story. party to the supplies buried below. William Brahe and his party set off for Melbourne on the morning of 21 April. The Burke, Wills, King and Yandruwandha National Heritage Place is the 104th place included in the National Heritage List. The arrival of Burke’s party just hours after Brahe’s departure www.environment.gov.au/ was the first in a series of fatal errors and near misses. On arrival For more information go to: heritage/places/national/burke-wills-king-yandruwandha Burke’s group dug up the supplies and deposited their field notes at the foot of the Dig Tree but failed to change the markings on the tree. With the supplies at Fort Wills exhausted, Burke © Commonwealth of Australia, 2016. headed south along Cooper Creek. They left a note buried This fact sheet is licensed by Commonwealth of Australia under a under the tree telling of their plans, but again failed to change Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. the markings. Having second thoughts about Burke’s possible The views and opinions expressed in this publication are those of return Brahe went back to the Dig Tree, on 8 May, but with the the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Australian markings unchanged he assumed Burke had not returned and he Government or the Minister for the Environment. left. Burke and his ill-fated party were just 35 miles away. Images: (top) John King sole survivor of the Burke & Wills expedition to Carpentaria, De Gruchy & Leigh (© State Library of Victoria) http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/74162 (bottom) Departure of the Burke and Wills Expedition, J.D.;A.H. Massina & Co (© State Library of Victoria) http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/155794 environment.gov.au.
Recommended publications
  • 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]
  • 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]
  • GASTON RENARD Pty. Ltd. Land Exploration of Australia
    GASTON RENARD Pty. Ltd. Established 1945 Postal Address: (A.C.N. 005 928 503) Electronic communications: P.O. Box 1030, ABN: 68 893 979 543 Telephone: +61 (0)3 9459 5040 Ivanhoe, Melbourne, FAX: +61 (0)3 9459 6787 Victoria, 3079, Australia. www.GastonRenard.com E-mail: [email protected] Short List No. 62 - 2012. Land Exploration of Australia. (Part III). 2 Gaston Renard Fine and Rare Books Short List Number 62 2012. GENERAL WORKS 1 Finlayson, H. H. THE RED CENTRE. Man and Beast in the Heart of Australia. With a Foreword by Frederick Wood Jones. Small cr. 4to, Facsimile Edition; pp. [ii], 148; large folding map, 52 plates; original vinyl; a nice copy. [Adelaide; Libraries Board of South Australia]; (1979). ***Australiana Facsimile Editions No. 206 (717 copies printed). Facsimile of the scarce first edition of 1935. #32490 A$95.00 3 Gaston Renard Fine and Rare Books Short List Number 62 2012. 2 Richardson, Norman A. THE PIONEERS OF THE NORTH- WEST OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA. (1856 to 1919). Facsimile Edition; pp. [xiv], 156; folding map, numerous b/w. illusts. (2 full-page); (some mild foxing; slight rust mark from paper clip on first couple of leaves); original vinyl; a very good copy. (Adelaide; Libraries Board of South Australia; 1969). ***Australiana Facsimile Editions No. 190. First published 1925. Charles Bateson’s copy with his signature on endpaper. #14908 A$65.00 4 Gaston Renard Fine and Rare Books Short List Number 62 2012. GEORGE GREY 3 Grey, George. JOURNALS OF TWO EXPEDITIONS OF DISCOVERY IN NORTH-WEST AND WESTERN AUSTRALIA, during the Years 1837, 38, and 39, under the Authority of Her Majesty’s Government.
    [Show full text]
  • 2020 Shell Pakistan Annual Financial Report
    BUILDING AN ENERGY FUTURE TOGETHER ANNUAL REPORT 2020 SHELL PAKISTAN LIMITED TOWARDS A BETTER TOMORROW Shell believes in building a sustainable energy future for Pakistan, working in collaboration with the government, energy industry and society. As one of the oldest multinationals in Pakistan, with a legacy of over 120 years in the South Asian region, Shell partners with the nation on powering progress and driving innovation. It is one of the most recognised brands in the country and prioritises health, safety and environment practices in all operations with people, assets and the communities it operates in while remaining committed to meeting the country’s growing energy demand. Shell is committed to bringing the best to Pakistan in energy technology and innovation from across the world. Together, let’s take steps today to build the energy future for tomorrow. SHELL PAKISTAN LIMITED | 1 CONTENTS GOVERNANCE & COMPLIANCE Company Information........................................................................................................................... 06 Vision................................................................................................................................................ 07 Statement of General Business Principles.................................................................................................. 08 Chairperson’s Review............................................................................................................................ 12 Board of Directors ..............................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Explorer Identity
    1 MELBOURNE EXPLORERS TOUR Melbourne Explorers tour: URL: http://melbournewalks.com.au/explorers-school-excursion/ Website: www.melbournewalks.com Email: [email protected] Copyright Melbourne Walks © John Batman, Explorer and founder of Colonial Melbourne (1801 –1839) I was a Tasmania sheep farmer when I led an expedition to sign a ‘treaty’ with Aboriginal ‘chiefs’ in 1835 to found the settlement of Melbourne and the colony of Victoria. I captured bushranger Mathew Brady and married a runaway convict Eliza Callaghan. We had seven children in all. At Melbourne’s first land sale in 1837. I bought the Young and Jackson Hotel site opposite Flinders Street Station and built a home for my children.! Benjamin Baxter , Pioneer (1819 –1906) I arrived with wife Martha only two years after settlement. We had had nine children in all. St Kilda Road was once called Baxter’s Track after me. My first job was a convict supervisor. Later Martha and I ran the first Melbourne Post Office before becoming graziers. We lived to a great age and explored and founded the town of Baxter, south of Melbourne. Not a bad effort, eh? Captain John Lancey, founder of the site of Melbourne I was the captain of John Fawkner's schooner Enterprize , and in 1835 I chose the site on the Yarra that became the City of Melbourne. Yes I was the true founder of Melbourne, not that scrawny jumped-up little Johnny Fawkner. John Murray, discoverer of Port Phillip Bay (c.1775– c.1807) I discovered and was the first European ever to enter Port Phillip Bay, the bay on which the cities of Melbourne and Geelong are situated.
    [Show full text]
  • Encampment. Here Likewise Grew a Shrubby Species of Xerotes 110H
    - 113 - encampment. Here likewise grew a shrubby species of Xerotes 110h hard rush-like leaves, but allied to X.gracilis.4 Mitchell sketched his quandong-like shrub, naming it Ellsalzarr1-.TsAyana. This plant was long known as Fusanusarsicarius, but in recent revisions, Mitchell t s name has been restored, so that the Quandong is now Eualya acuminata and the Bitter Quandong is E.murrayana. Mitchell thus became -the first explorer, apart from Cunningham, a professional botanist, to name and publish, albeit without the traditional Latin description, a native plant. Also on the Murray, he found a very beautiful, new, shrubby species of cassia, with thin papery pods and...the most brillant yellow blossoms...I would name it C.heteroloba.464 Lindley accepted this, and the plant was so named, although it proved to be synonymous with Cassia eremophila which had precedence. Similarly, Mitchell named Pelargonium rodne anum, which would be an acquisition to our gardens. I named it...in honour of Mrs. Riddell Sydney, grand-daughter of the famous Rodney.4-} On this expedition, Mitchell made his usual prophecies concerning the economy of the new country. He felt that the "quandong nut" and "gum 466 acacia may in time, become articles of commerce" and "having brought home specimens of most of the woods of the interior", Mitchell felt that several of the acacias would be valuable for ornamental work, having a pleasing perfume resembling that of a rose. Some are of a dark colour of various shades, and very compact; others light coloured and resembling in texture, box or lancewood...Specimens of these A pods may be seen at Hallets, No.
    [Show full text]
  • THOMAS MULHALL KING, I.S.O., an EARLY ADMINISTRATOR [Some Notes on His Family, Life and Career by His Grandson, REGINALD R
    30 THOMAS MULHALL KING, I.S.O., AN EARLY ADMINISTRATOR [Some Notes on his Family, Life and Career by his grandson, REGINALD R. M. KING, Q.C., M.A., LL.M., of the Middle Temple, London.] (Dehvered at a meeting of the Society on 28 October 1971) ORIGINS OF THE NAME "KING" The name is of considerable antiquity in England but it does not derive, as once thought, either from the Anglo- Saxon CYNING or from the nickname given to a person who played the part of the King in the old Miracle Plays. It, in fact, occurs long before the time of the first of the Eng­ lish Miracle Plays—The Harrowing of Hell, from the late 13th century. Prior to the arrival in England of the Norman people, the name in its French form of le Roi, le Rey, etc., was widely spread in France, and surnames were quite unknown in Eng­ land: it was, indeed, the Norman influence that gradually introduced into England the idea and use of such identify­ ing family names. The name le Roi does not imply that its original bearer was a King. It almost certainly derives from the Norman and Norse practice of conferring nicknames upon people, and then specialising them as identifying names for particular families. A similar practice is to be found among the Irish and other people—witness the name Mulhall, which is an Anglicised version of the pseudonym Mulcahill, meaning "the warrior", which was conferred upon the celebrated Rory O'Moore (or O'Morra) for his courage and prowess in battle, and which was adopted as a surname by his descendants.
    [Show full text]
  • Burke and Wills Conference 4 June 2011 Queensland History Journal
    Queensland History TheRoy alRoyal Historical Historical Society Society Journalof Queensland Burke and Wills Conference State Library of Queensland, 4 June 2011. FEBRUARY 2012 VOL. 21, NO. 8 Queensland History Journal Policy The Royal Historical Society of Queensland welcomes papers on the history of Queensland as well as the Commonwealth of Australia and adjacent islands of the Pacific. However, unless the topic is of national significance, papers relevant solely to states other than Queensland are not normally published. Authors need not be members of the Society. Manuscripts should not exceed 6000 words (including endnotes) and the submission of short papers is encouraged. Papers are editorially reviewed. Peer review is available for academics on request. Manuscripts may be submitted by email to journal@queenslandhistory. org.au or by hard copy to the Editors, Queensland History Journal, PO Box 12057, Brisbane George Street, Qld, 4003. They should be typed using double spacing with ample margins. Hard copies should be printed on one side of the page. Maps, photographs or other illustrations may be submitted as hard copies or digitally as jpg files. Further requirements for submission are detailed in the Style Guide, which is available at www.queenslandhistory.org.au or on request from the Society. It is a condition of publication in the Queensland History Journal that the paper has not already been published or is not being published elsewhere. The author warrants to the Society that the article submitted to the Society for publication is an original work and does not contravene the Australian Copyright Act. Copyright in the original copy of any work published in the Queensland History Journal or published by the Society in any other form of work shall vest in and remain with the Society but the author shall have a licence to republish the work without permission from the Society.
    [Show full text]
  • 'All Burke's Books &C Have Been Saved'
    Dave Phoenix 'All Burke's books &c have been saved': the Burke and Wills Papers in the State Library of Victoria THE BURKE AND WILLS EXPEDITION generated a huge amount of documentation, the single largest collection of which was deposited in the Melbourne Public Library in March 1875 by the expedition's organisers, the Royal Society of Victoria. This collection includes manuscripts, maps, pictures and realia and contains some 12,000 plus pages in thirteen boxes. The Society, however, had not originally intended to place the archives with the Library, as they were hoping to use the material to compile an official history of the expedition. This publication never eventuated and many of the papers, particularly those relating to the expedition's return journey from Cooper Creek to the Gulf of Carpentaria, disappeared in the intervening period between the end of the expedition and their transfer to the library. In addition, the records are unusual as the leader did not leave a comprehensive journal, so the archival material left by other members takes on particular importance: it is essential to understand who made them, why, and how their reliability can be assessed. 'What happened to them afterwards is an object lesson in the survival, or otherwise, of historical records. The eJ>..-pedition's somewhat erratic and often contentious progress generated increasing public interest, and the proceedings of the Society's Exploration Committee were reported at length in the daily press. When telegrams, reports and diaries [TOm the eJ>..1ledition were received by the Committee's Honorary Secretary, Dr John Macadam, the new acquisitions were read and discussed before being released to the press for publication.
    [Show full text]