The Expedition departs Melbourne
The voyage back was extremely wet, and they had problems continuing because of heavy rains and lightning storms. They were short of provisions and Burke assaulted Gray when he was caught stealing provision. Grey grew ill, although the others thought he was just pretending, and he died of suspected dysentery on April 17 probably at Lake Massacre.
On April 21 they reached the Cooper. Unfortunately, they found it deserted. Wright and his extra supplies had never arrived, and Brahe, having waited one month longer than the three he had been told to, had left the camp just eight hours before they arrived. The day that had been spent burying Gray had proved fatal. Brahe burried some supplies in case they would come back beneath the now famous dig tree. Wills and King wanted to try to overtake Brahe, who was only miles away from them, but Burke decided against it. They and their camels were much weakened and it would be impossible Instead they would try to reach Mount Hopeless, the nearest outpost of civilization, some 300 miles south west at the tip of the Flinders Ranges.
The men set out for the southwest, but found themselves running around in circles. They lived on nardoo, a type of grass seed, and some fish native mammals and birds, but the men grew weaker and the aboriginals that had helped them traveled on. Burke and Wills died of malnutrition in late June 1861, King was cared for by a group of aboriginals until a rescue party found him.
Brahe, in the meantime, had met Wright who had finally set out, and returned to Cooper's Creek on 8 May. However, Burke, Wills and King had removed all traces of their presence to avoid the aboriginals from removing the note they had written. He did not check the provisions he had left behind, and returned convinced that the four men had not been at the camp. Tragically, Burke, Wills and King were only a few miles away at the time.
There are many other ironies, theories and mysteries surrounding the Burke and Wills Expedition. Played out like a Victorian pantomime-horror, the expedition still fascinates. In 2009, in a convoy of desert equipped four wheel drives, Diamantina will follow in the footsteps of the expedition, to experience the incredible scenery and imagine the hardships and torment these brave but ignorant explorers suffered.
17 August -6 September 2009 21 Days Double trans-continental crossing
If you tagalong in your vehicle: $3500.00 AUD
We pick up from all Melbourne CBD hotels and head out to Royal Park to commence our expedition to cross the continent at the plinth that marks the spot where the original Burke and Wills Expedition set off. At this historic site we will hear some of the speeches and accounts of the spectacle that accompanied the Expeditions departure back in 1860. Through Melbourne peak hour traffic, we turn onto Mt. Alexander Road and shortly pass the site of Camp One at Moonee Ponds. Aside from a detour around Essendon Airport, we faithfully follow Burke and Wills exact route north through Romsey and Litchfield, across the Great Divide to Elmore in Central Victoria. Here we leave the bitumen and the country opens out to vast plains as we follow wheat roads to Terrick Terrick and on to lunch beside the Murray River at Swan Hill. We cross into New South Wales and on to Balranald, then take the Prungle Mail Road to our first nights camp in the Mallee.
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Past Prungle Lakes we head to Mungo National Park. After look at the visitor’s interpretive centre and the impressive woolshed, we drive across Lake Mungo and take a boardwalk before ascending the dunes at the Walls of China. We continue on through the Cyprus covered dunes of the Willandra Lakes World Heritage area until we reach the Darling. We turn north and head to Pooncarie where we lunch beneath River Red gums on the banks of the Darling. In the afternoon we continue north to the Menindee Lakes. We visit the site of the base camp at Pamamaroo Creek – then on the edge of civilisation. We also visit the Maiden Hotel, on the original expedition known at Pains Pub. Some sections of the original hotel are still standing.
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We head out across the Irrigation regulator to the Sunset Strip caravan park for a shower before heading out to Wirryilka Station. From the homestead we take station tracks north onto Burkes Plain. This is the first taste of the desert to come. In the shadow of Scropes Range we arrive at Burkes Cave. There is some faint Aboriginal art and plenty of ancient grafitti, and the cave looks identical in the watercolour painted by Beckler. We climb over Scropes Range to Broughton Vale homestead and out to the Little Topar Pub on the Barrier Highway. We take station tracks north past Waterbag to Mutawintji National Park. Here we take a short walk to see the cave where Brahe painted his initials over ancient Aboriginal art. We camp north of Mutawintji.
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We travel through some spectacular rangeland, past Noonthorangee Creek affording some grand views of Koonenberry Mountain that so struck Wills on their journey north. We meet the Barrier Highway just south of Packsaddle and continue north to historic Milarinka for a visit to the excellent museum. After lunch we visit Depot Glen, where Charles Sturt was hemmed in by drought in 1844/5. As the waters receded and scurvy set it, one of his party-Poole-died. We visit his grave; beneath the very Grevillea striata they buried him under all those years ago. At Tibooburra we visit the family hotel, where artist Clifton Pugh’s murals adorn the walls of the front bar. The lowering sun turns the iron clad plains of Sturt National Park deep red as we cross the Queensland Border and the Dog Fence at the Warri Gate and head to camp.
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We turn east past Rotten Swamp and shortly come to spectacular breakaway country at Grey Range, looking out over the vast Bulloo Swamp. We descend to Old Tickalara and take station tracks through to Bulloo Downs Station and out to a lonely desolate site on the banks of the Bulloo River at Kooliatto Waterhole where Becker, Purcell and Stone died. We continue on to the town of Thargomindah for a shower and then on to camp beneath the Grey Range
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We travel through the oil and gas fields of Nockatunga and Jackson, finally crossing wide floodplain of the Cooper beyond Naccowlah oil field. We lunch at Bullah Bullah Crossing on Nappa Merrie station, the site of the famous Dig Tree. The famous blaze is still visible, and there is a small interpretive museum here. We continue on to Cullymurra waterhole and visit Burke’s memorial at the site where he died. After a stop at Innaminka for an ice cream at the general store or a beer at the pub (whichever takes your fancy) we travel north to Kudriemitchie Outstation to camp on the banks of the north west branch of the Cooper.
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We visit the world heritage listed Coongie Lake, and extraordinary wetland in the desert, home to many wading birds and desert species – a birdwatchers paradise. We travel north west through the white clay and statuesque coolabah trees to Walkers Crossing. We camp on the Cooper floodplain.
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The floodplain gives way to a few sandhills, and in no time we are enveloped in the gibber plains of Sturts Stony Desert. Vast ironclad plains and a shimmering horizon punctuated by the occasional creekbed, we cross the desert to the Birdsville Track. Skirting Goyder Lagoon we head north on the Outside Track to Birdsville. Here there is the chance for a shower, and to visit the iconic Birdsville Pub, the extraordinary working museum and the Caravanserai Café and Blue Poles Art Gallery. There is plenty to see and do in this classic Outback town. We camp of the floodplain of the Diamantina River.
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The tree besides Burkes grave site at Innaminka.
The body was dug up and returned to Melbourne.
We visit the Dingo Caves, commanding a wide view of the surrounding desert, including a large patch of the rare Waddy tree (Acacia peuce). We continue north through Channel Country, past Lake Mahattie - usually dry - to Bedourie and on to Boulia, the home of the Min Min lights…. We camp on the Burke River outside Boulia.
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We take the Selwyn Road across desolate country to the Phosphate Hill mine and on to The Monument mining town. We are now entering hilly country, leaving Channel Country behind. The road climbs up to the railway siding of Duchess, where we stop at the quaint pub for refreshments. We camp outside Duchess.
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The blaze on the dig tree as it looks today,
the bark has grown over, but Brahe's carving still visible.
We travel in to Mt. Isa. There is the opportunity for a shower and a free morning to explore this thriving town on the edge of the savannah. After lunch we head north to Riversleigh to see the dinosaur fossils before heading to our camp in the rainforest at Adele’s Grove.
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Today we have a full day to explore Lawn Hill. There are numerous walks around the gorge, and a magnificent canoe paddle and swim beneath the deep red walls of the gorge on turquoise water. At Adele’s Grove there is a café/bar for relaxing.
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Today we head north to Burketown on the Gulf, named after Burke even though he never visited it. We travel across the gulf savannah to the Bynoe River, and visit Camp 119, where King’s blazes on several trees are still visible. This was the expeditions northernmost camp, although Burke and Wills had one further bivouac in the mangrove swamps to the north. We continue on to Karumba to watch the sun set on the Gulf of Carpentaria and if we can get fresh mud crabs dine on Singapore Chilli mud crab.
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Burke's death on the Cooper
We commence our journey south, first to Julia Creek and then on to Kynuna with its famous Blue Heeler pub which can trace its existence back to the 1880s when it was a Cobb and Co staging post. It was also one of the first places Waltzing Matilda was performed, and Banjo Paterson’s signature is on the wall of the pub, as is Slim Dusty, Rolf Harris and Joh Bjelke - Petersen among others.
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Today is a day of Outback towns. Firstly we visit Combo Waterhole, where the jolly swagman of Waltzing Matilda fame is reputed to have camped. Then its on down to Winton with its magnificent streetscape and fascinating outfitters store, the Waltzing Matilda Centre and a whole swag of historic buildings. We continue south along the Landsborough Highway to Longreach.
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We spend a full day in Longreach visiting the Australian Stockman’s Hall of Fame and the Qantas Pioneers museum.
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We travel east to Barcaldine where the Great Shearers Strike of 1891 gave birth to the Australian Labor Party. We see the site of the tree of knowledge under which the party was allegedly formed. The tree was poisoned in 2006. We continue south to Blackall and lunch at Augathella on the Warrego River. We continue south to Charleville, and camp at Nardoo Station.
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We visit Cunnamulla, with the chance to walk around the town and check out the Bronze statue of the Cunnamulla fella. There is also a tree on a sand dune where bank robber Joseph Wells his in after making an armed withdrawal from the local bank. We cross into New South Wales at Barringun and continue south to the town of Bourke and camp at a bend on the Darling River east of Louth.
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A brief stop at the tiny settlement of Louth we continue down the Darling to the Port of Wilcannia. There is plenty to see at this historic town, including the Police station and old prison. We camp south of Wilcannia.
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We head south along the Cobb Highway through Ivanhoe, crossing the Lachlan River at Booligal. We visit Hay on the Murrumbidgee before heading to our camp in the Barmah forest.
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We travel south along the Midland Highway arriving in Melbourne late morning and the end of a phenomenal double continental crossing.
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Program Includes:
20 nights camping in swag complete with mattress, fitted sheet, doona, doona cover and pillow
Crockery, cutlery and all camping equipment
All meals commencing with lunch on Day 1 and concluding with breakfast on Day 21
Transport as per the itinerary in a comfortable expedition vehicles equipped to travel the outback roads with experienced driver
Entry fees, permits, visits and entry fees
Use of appropriate reference materials
Support of a motor mechanic if needed for self-drive participants whilst in remote locations
Satellite Emergency Phone Access
Program Excludes:
Cost of transfers to and from Melbourne
Comprehensive Travel Insurance
Costs of a personal nature
Any optional activities elected by participants
All camping equipment for self-drive participants
Fuel costs for self-drive participants
Costs associated with damage, breakdown and recovery of vehicles used in self-drive transport or costs associated with vehicle preparation for the program.
Self Drive Participants:
You will be required to have a roadworthy, four wheel drive vehicle appropriately equipped for travel in isolated regions. Fuel arrangements and a check list will be communicated to interested participants prior to departure.
Self-drive participants are required to assist by carrying up to three cartons or packages of food for common use and a Jerry can, with water, for use in the kitchen