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Allan Cunningham ExpeditionPrint Page 
The cairn commemorates the 150th anniversary of the exploration and naming of the Darling Downs by Allan Cunningham in 1827.
Allan Cunningham (1791 – 1839) was an English botanist and explorer, primarily known for his travels in Australia to collect plants.
Cunningham's longest, and perhaps most important, journey lasted from 20 January to late August 1827: from the Hunter valley he travelled northward crossing the Peel and Dumaresq Rivers and discovered the Darling Downs before returning to the Hunter valley and Bathurst. While exploring the Darling Downs he found a gap in the ranges, now called Spicers Gap, which he thought would give access from Moreton Bay to the downs, whose fine grazing country he regarded as his major discovery.
In July and August 1828 he returned to Moreton Bay by sea and explored the country southward to the Logan River and Macpherson Ranges and found another gap, now known as Cunningham's Gap, and in May 1829 explored the upper part of the Brisbane River valley.
Note : This monument was relocated from the William Lysaght Memorial Park in Clintonvale in 2018.
Location
| Address: | Cunningham Highway, Rest Area, Gladfield, 4370 |
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| State: | QLD |
| Area: | AUS |
| GPS Coordinates: | Lat: -28.074123 Long: 152.186776 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate. |
Details
| Monument Type: | Monument |
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| Monument Theme: | Landscape |
| Sub-Theme: | Exploration |
| Actual Event Start Date: | 10-June-1827 |
| Actual Event End Date: | 10-June-1977 |
Dedication
| Actual Monument Dedication Date: | Sunday 8th May, 1977 |
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This cairn was erected to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the discovery and naming of the Darling Downs by
Allan Cunningham on 10th June, 1827.
