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150th Anniversary Burke & Wills Expedition - (Camp 10)Print Page Print this page

15-September-2013
15-September-2013

Photographs supplied by Graeme Saunders

The sign commemorates the Burke & Wills expedition who camped at Terrick Terrick Station in 1860 and was erected as part of the 150th anniversary of the Victoria Exploring Expedition. 

The Victorian Exploring Expedition of 1860, usually known as the Burke and Wills expedition, stands as a landmark in Australian history. They succeeded in crossing the continent form South to North, at the cost of several lives. 

The Expedition left Royal Park on the 20th of August 1860, with 19 men, 26 camels, 24 horses, six wagons and 21 tons of supplies. Many of these supplies were left along the way as Burke progressively streamlined the party, obsessed with the idea of beating rival explorer John Macdouall Stuart to the north coast. Burke came within kilometres of the open sea along the Gulf of Carpentaria with a small group of four men after a punishing journey across unforgiving country. He returned after four months to the depot site at Cooper’s Creek to find the relief party had left that very morning, burying a small cache of supplies near a tree marked with the word DIG. Burke and Wills died by the banks of the Cooper. Of the four men to reach the Gulf country, only John King survived.

Location

Address:Mitiamo - Kow Swamp Road, Terrick Terrick National Park, Terrick Terrick, 3575
State:VIC
Area:AUS
GPS Coordinates:Lat: -36.173833
Long: 144.277267
Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate.
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Details

Monument Type:Sign
Monument Theme:Landscape
Sub-Theme:Exploration
Actual Event Start Date:30-August-1860
Actual Event End Date:31-August-1860

Dedication

Actual Monument Dedication Date:Tuesday 31st August, 2010
Front Inscription

THE BURKE & WILLS EXPEDITION
CAMPED AT TERRICK TERRICK STATION (OAKRIDGE)
ON 30TH & 31ST AUGUST 1860

Erected by the East Loddon & District Historical Society
To commemorate the 150th year Anniversary.  
31st August 2010

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