Home » Themes » People » Exploration
John Oxley & Major Thomas Mitchell Print Page 
The obelisk marks the spot where the explorer John Oxley passed through the site of Forbes on 3rd May 1817, and Major Mitchell who through the sie of Forbes in 1836.
John Oxley, Surveyor-General of New South Wales, set out in 1817 to discover the course of the Lachlan River. Following the river downstream past the present site of Forbes, he found that it flowed into marshland and, unable to proceed further, decided to strike out for the South Australian coast. Shortage of water forced his return to the Lachlan, which he rejoined below the marshes previously encountered, but only to meet more marshland further on. Oxley decided to turn back and, leaving the Lachlan, crossed the Bogan River and followed the upper waters of the Macquarie back to Bathurst.
Location
| Address: | Dowling Street, In front of BP Service Station, Forbes, 2871 |
|---|---|
| State: | NSW |
| Area: | AUS |
| GPS Coordinates: | Lat: -33.381395 Long: 148.010439 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate. |
Details
| Monument Type: | Monument |
|---|---|
| Monument Theme: | People |
| Sub-Theme: | Exploration |
Dedication
Oxley passed through the site of Forbes on 3rd May, 1817 and camped at Salisbury.
Mitchell crossed the site of the town of Forbes near this point on 26th March, 1836.
