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Blaxland, Wentworth and Lawson Were Not the First to Attempt the Crossing

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Blaxland, Wentworth and Lawson Were Not the First to Attempt the Crossing The big picture In 1810 Sydney was growing quickly, and fast running out of land. The settlement was squeezed into a narrow strip of land along the coast and blocked in by the rugged Blue Mountains to the west. Land for growing food and grazing animals was in short supply. As more convicts and settlers arrived, the lack of land became a serious issue. Many believed that good farming land lay beyond the mountains, but no European had been able to cross them. Early crossing attempts Blaxland, Wentworth and Lawson were not the first to attempt the crossing. Before their journey, three other attempts had been made. In 1792, John Wilson, a freed convict, left the settlement to live in the bush with the Indigenous people of the Blue Mountains. He travelled with them up the In 1813, landowners valleys as far as Hartley. Wilson was the first European to get this far. Gregory Blaxland, In October 1802, Governor Philip Gidley King sent explorer Francis Barrallier to explore the Blue Mountains. With the help of Indigenous William Charles This map shows the Blue Mountains, around 100 kilometres west of Sydney, and the routes guides, Barrallier travelled from Nattai south-west along the Wollondilly Wentworth and that Blaxland, Wentworth and Lawson, and then Evans, took while trying to cross them. River, but could get no further. George Caley was a plant William Lawson and animal expert. In decided to try toBlaxland, cross Wentworth Eyewitness words November 1804 he trekked and Lawson along the northern edge of the mountains inWealthy an landowners Blaxland, Before we set out, we the Grose River valley to Wentworth and Lawson had farms at ❝laid down the plan … and Mount Tomah, looking for attempt to find new the foot of the Blue Mountains. There new plant species. Caley the course to be attempted, grazing land. Theywas a drought in 1813, and they overcame bushfires, sheer needed new, well-watered grazing namely, to ascend (climb) the cliffs and towering peaks to found a route landpart- for their animals. When Blaxland ridge … taking the streams reach Mount Banks, but he received permission from Governor could not get any further, way through the of water on the left … as our Lachlan Macquarie for an expedition and had to turn back. guide; being careful not to mountains, butover hadthe mountains, to he invited Wentworth and Lawson to join him. cross any of them … Sheer cliffs such as these at Keen to attempt an untried route, they In 1813, landowners Gregory Blaxland, 1813 ❞ Echo Point led many people decided to follow the high ridges of Gregory Blaxland,to believe the Blue Mountains the mountains and avoid the valleys. William Charleswere impossible to cross. Wentworth and the 6 mountains in an 7 attempt to find new grazing land. They Key people Four people played key roles in the crossing of the Blue Mountains. George Evans Born: 1780 in England Role: Surveyor and leader of the expedition to complete the route found by Gregory Blaxland Blaxland, Wentworth and Lawson in 1813 Age in 1813: 33 Born: 1778 in England Died: 1852 in Tasmania Role: Organiser of the 1813 expedition to cross the Blue Mountains Appearance: Stocky, brown hair, brown eyes, high forehead Age at the time of the expedition (1813): 34 William Lawson Character: Steady, clever, a skilled surveyor Died: 1853 in New South Wales In 1813, landowners Born: 1774 in England Comments: Governor Macquarie Appearance: Average height, brown Gregory Blaxland, appointed Evans to follow and survey wavy hair, round face Role: Surveyor on the 1813 expedition the 1813 route discovered by Blaxland, Character: Moody, difficult, always William CharlesAge at the time of the Wentworth and Lawson. Evans’ job was complaining, but determined and a good William Charles Wentworth expedition: 39 to continue on over the mountains of the businessman Wentworth and Great Dividing Range to the plains beyond. Died: 1850 in New South Wales Comments: Blaxland was a wealthy He was the first European to actually cross Born: 1790 in Norfolk Island William LawsonAppearance: Short, stocky, round face, free settler and landowner. He saw a great the Blue Mountains. blue eyes, fair hair future in wool growing and wanted to find Role: Youngest member of the decided1813 to try to cross more land for his flocks. He organised the expedition the mountainsCharacter: in an Steady, quiet, reliable 1813 expedition but was not its leader Age at the time of the Comments: Lieutenant Lawson was as he later claimed to have been. expedition: 22 attempt to finda surveyor new in England before he came Died: 1872 in England to New South Wales as a soldier. He grazing land.had They already discussed crossing the Blue Appearance: A big man, thick-set, Mountains with Wentworth and was red-haired, cross-eyed, rugged andfound a route part- keen to join Blaxland on the expedition. untidy-looking way throughLawson’s the skills as a surveyor made the Character: Clever, educated, expedition a success. loud-voiced and with strong opinions,mountains, but had to but also a poet and writer In 1813, landownersComments: W. C. Wentworth was a convict’s son, proud, forceful and Gregory Blaxland,afraid of nothing. He joined the 1813 William Charlesexpedition for an adventure. Wentworth Wentworthlater became and a famous the politician. 8 mountains in an 9 attempt to find new grazing land. They A mountain That evening The Blue Mountains were a mystery to the people The party camped at the foot of the Blue Mountains. barrier of Sydney. No one had been able to cross them, though many had tried. Then, in 1813, Gregory Blaxland came up with an idea. The next morning, they climbed up the first ridge. Early 1813 By 1 p.m. they’d reached the top. They trekked for five kilometres. The ground was very rough … A LAGOON! My HORSE! Blaxland’s farm What ABOUT TAKING CALEy’S RoutE? I WANT TO BE THE FIRST BUT HOW? TO FIND A WAy ACROSS NO, Wentworth, THESE MOUNTAINS. IT’S TOO STEEP. HMM … Blaxland had another idea … THAT COULD WORK. WE SHOULD TAKE THE SOUTHERN RIdGE, HERE … … and water was scarce. CAREFUL, I KNOW A KANGAROO Wentworth! SHOOTER WHO CAN GUIDE Excellent! NO ONE’S TRIED US UP THE FIRST RIDGE. THAT BEFORE. The three men planned the route. They prepared for the journey … I’vE FOUND ARE yOU WITH SOME WATER! ME, LAWSON? WENTWORTH? yES – WE’LL FOLLOW THE The men camped by the gully. yES! WE SHOULD KEEP TO RIDGES WHETHER THEy yOU’RE COMING THE 4HIGH p.m. GROUND. HEAD WEST OR NOT. WITH US. 11 May 1813 10 11 The party set out. The local Indigenous people kept out of sight..
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