David Carnegie Expedition Print Page

The obelisk and plaque commemorate the David Carnegie`s expedition of 1896. An additional plaque was added in 1996 to commemorate the centenary of the expedition. 

David Carnegie was an explorer and gold prospector in Western Australia. In 1896 he led an expedition from Coolgardie through the Gibson and Great Sandy Deserts to Halls Creek, and then back again. David Carnegie invested his profits from two earlier gold mines and proposed a major expedition to travel almost 1600kms from Coolgardie to Halls Creek. Much of the area through which he intended to travel was unexplored and unmapped at the time and Carnegie hoped to find good pastoral or gold-bearing land, and to make a name for himself as an explorer.

Carnegie`s party consisted of five men and nine camels. Some of his travelling companions were the prospectors Charles Stansmore, Godfrey Massie, bushman Joe Breaden and Breaden`s Aboriginal companion Warri. They left Coolgardie on 9th July 1896 . Nearing the end of their epic journey, tragedy struck the party and on the 2nd November 1896, Charles Stansmore died. He slipped while crossing a ridge, ended up dropping his gun and was shot as the gun hit the ground. Stansmore was buried by his companions and David and the remaining members of the party reached Halls Creek four days later - a journey of 149 days and 2,274 kms.

Location

Address:	Duncan Road, Old Halls Creek, Halls Creek, 6770
State:	WA
Area:	AUS
GPS Coordinates:	Lat: -18.248374 Long: 127.782636 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate.

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Details

Monument Type:	Monument
Monument Theme:	Landscape
Sub-Theme:	Exploration
Approx. Event Start Date:	1896
Approx. Event End Date:	1996

Dedication

Actual Monument Dedication Date:	Sunday 25th July, 1982

Source: MA, ADB