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150th Anniversary of William Blandowski`s ExpeditionPrint Page Print this page

12-May-2016 (Chris McLaughlin)
12-May-2016 (Chris McLaughlin)

Photographs supplied by Chris McLaughlin / David Brighton

The cairn commemorates the 150th Anniversary of William Blandowski’s Expedition to the Murray River which documented the region’s ecology, history and anthropology in 1857. The cairn is located at their campsite. 

Blandowski came to Australia in 1849 and, following his appointment as Victoria’s state zoologist, headed an expedition along the Murray River to the junction of the Murray and Darling Rivers with 2,000 pounds’ funding. The exhibition returned having named a number of new species and brought back more than 8,000 specimens, many of which had never been seen by Europeans; and been a part of one of the most significant collaborative efforts between indigenous Australian and Europeans in the 1800s.

Despite these feats, Blandowski left Australia shortly after the expedition’s end, having found himself alienated following a decision to name the Silver Perch after Melbourne Hospital physician and Melbourne Philosophical Institute Co-founder Dr Richard Eades, noting that the fish was nothing more and, indeed, nothing less than “a fish easily recognised by its low forehead, big belly and sharp spine”.

Location

Address:Wentworth Road, Chaffey Landing Reserve, Merbein Common, Merbein, 3505
State:VIC
Area:AUS
GPS Coordinates:Lat: -34.164577
Long: 142.080275
Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate.
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Details

Monument Type:Monument
Monument Theme:Landscape
Sub-Theme:Exploration
Approx. Event Start Date:1857
Approx. Event End Date:2007
Link:http://adbonline.anu.edu.au/adbonli…

Dedication

Actual Monument Dedication Date:Friday 21st September, 2007
Front Inscription

This is the site where Victorian Government Zoologist, 
William Blandowski and assistant Gerard Krefft 
established a camp from April to December 1857.
Aided by the Nyeri Nyeri people, who identified the 
area as `Mondellimin`, they assembled a large and 
significant collection of terrestrial and aquatic 
             animals from the region.

Erected By Mildura Rural City Council In
Conjunction With The Merbein District Historical 
Society And Unveiled On September 21st, 2007.

Source: MA,ADB
Monument details supplied by Monument Australia - www.monumentaustralia.org.au