John McDouall StuartPrint Page

The monument commemorates explorer John McDouall Stuart (1815 - 1866) who passed through the area during his expedition of 1860-1862. 

The South Australian government was keen to open a route from Adelaide to the north coast and offered a reward of $4,000 to the first person to achieve it. In 1860, Stuart, accompanied by William Kekwick and Ben Head, set out on their first attempt. The party reached Attack Creek, north of Tennant Creek, before being forced back through lack of supplies and hostile aboriginals on June 27th 1860.

Stuart, with Kekwick and 10 others, set out again on New Year`s Day 1861, and reached Newcastle Waters, but was again forced to return, this time because of the dense bushland. They left Adelaide again in December, 1861 and seven months later, on July 24th 1862, finally reached the north coast at a place which they named Chambers Bay, after a sponsor of their expeditions.

The Minister for the Interior (Mr. McEwen) who has been in Tasmania for the past ten days returned to Melbourne on Sunday. Mr. McEwen's visit was to attend a meeting of the Federal Cabinet in Hobart. The Minister was accompanied on his trip by Mrs. McEwen. Mr. McEwen had intended to go to Alice Springs this week to open the new Government Hospital there. The floods in Central Australia have delayed the arrival of equipment at the hospital so it will not be ready until late in March, Mr. McEwen expects to go to Alice Springs then to perform the opening ceremony. An invitation was extended to Mrs. McEwen by the South Australian Branch of the Royal Geographical Society of Australasia to unveil the McDouall Stuart Memorial at Alice Springs and Mrs. McEwen will accompany the Minister there to do this.
Shepparton Advertiser (Vic.), 17 February 1939.

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