Sir Henry Barkly
About Sir Henry Barkly- Burke and Wills Expedition
- Queensland Relief Expedition
- Landsboroughs' Journal Sunday December 6
- Landsboroughs' Journal Sunday December 8
The Barkly Tablelands were named after Sir Henry Barkly. Barkly was born on 24 February 1815 and was the son of Aeneas Barkly of Monteagle, Rossshire, Scotland, a sometime West Indian merchant.
He trained in commerce, began a business career and represented Leominster in the House of Commons in 1845-48. He was then appointed governor and commander in chief of British Guiana and in 1853 of Jamaica.
In November 1856 Barkly was appointed governor of Victoria, with the highest salary in the empire because the Colonial Office considered the post particularly difficult.
He arrived in Melbourne on Christmas Eve. Although displeased to find that the governor's participation in policy making was not welcome under the newly granted responsible government, he soon adjusted to his new functions as a constitutional 'sovereign'.
In 1860 the Royal Society (under Sir Henry Barkly) collected several thousand pounds to fund the Victorian Exploring Expedition which has become known in folklore as the Burke and Wills Expedition.
Burke and Wills heroically set out to cross the continent south to north. Being funded by Victorians they set out from Melbourne and aimed for the Gulf of Carpentaria and died in the process.
At the same time Stuart was returning from his fourth attempt to cross the continent from Adelaide to Port Darwin (being funded by South Australians) having made it all the way this time to Attack Creek just north of Tennant Creek.
The real value of the Burke and Wills expedition came from the four expeditions that were sent out to find them.
The Queensland government placed William Landsborough in charge of the Queensland Relief Expedition but this expedition was also partly funded by the Royal Society.
Landsborough’s small party of eight men and twenty three horses started south on the 18th November 1861 disembarking from the brig Firefly on the Albert River in the Gulf of Carpentaria.
Howitt’s expedition moving up from the south had found John King, the only survivor of the Burke and Wills group and had already discovered the fate of the rest of that expedition in late August some months before.
Somewhere east of the Queensland and Northern Territory border and south of the Gregory River (possibly what is now now Norfolk Station, north of Camoweal) in early December 1861 Landsborough made the following entries in his journal.
Landsborough's Journal Friday December 6
Camp Number 15.
- Fisherman and I left camp this morning to go in search of water.
- At 9.50 a.m. made three-quarters of a mile south to Fullarton Creek.
- At 10.15 made one mile south up the creek.
- At 10.43 made one mile south up the creek.
- At 10.50 made a quarter of a mile south-east.
- At 11.8 made a quarter of a mile north.
- At 11.15 made a quarter of a mile east.
- At 11.35 made a quarter of a mile east, general course of creek.
- At 11.40 made a quarter of a mile south-east.
- At 11.50 made half a mile south.
- At 12.7 p.m. made three-quarters of a mile south.
- At 12.52 made two miles south.
- At 1.18 made one mile south by east, to a plain with tableland of the richest soil, and with grasses of the most fattening nature, but which at this time are old and dry. This tableland I have named Barkly Plains, after His Excellency Sir Henry Barkly.
- At 1.26 made a quarter of a mile south by east three miles and three-quarters south to plains, to reach which we crossed barren ridges with gullies, having an easterly course. To the south-west not a tree was to be seen.
- At 3.37 made two miles and a quarter south, with which course we skirt the left edge of Barkly Plains. Stopped here and had some dinner.
- Started again at 4.15.
- At 4.30 p.m. made one mile south where Fisherman shot and dressed an emu.
- At 5.23 we started again.
- At 5.40 made three-quarters of a mile south-south-east to a watercourse which I have named Pratt Creek.
- At 5.45 made a quarter of a mile south-east down the creek to water. Proceeded about one mile further, and then returned about halfway to where we encamped (compare with 7th December). The grass in this neighbourhood is good, excepting of course on the ridges, which are barren and covered with triodia. The creek has been recently flooded, and has remaining in it, I hope, sufficient water to last us until we find more permanent water to which we can proceed. I think that watercourses do exist, both to the right and left of the plain, from the general appearance of the country running parallel to the plains.
Landsborough's Journal Sunday December 8
Camp Number 15.
- Being anxious to benefit by the water in Pratt Creek, on Barkly Tableland, we left camp at 11.7 to go to it.
- At 11.20 a.m. made half a mile to marked tree at junction of Fullarton Creek.
- At 11.25 made two miles and three-quarters to a cross log. Soon after Mr. Campbell was taken unwell.
- At 2.20 p.m. made four miles to where we left the creek when upon its right bank.
- At 3.20 made three miles and a half south over barren ridges to Barkly Tableland, where we delayed until 4.10.
- At 5.17 made three miles south.
- At 5.45 made one mile and a quarter south by east. At 6.56 made three miles and a quarter south by east.
- At 7.13 made three-quarters of a mile south. At dark made one mile east-south-east and encamped at Pratt Creek.
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