INTO THE INTERIOR:
AUTOR:
Sandra Hannesschlaeger
Into the Interior!
The end of the 18-century
mapped Ausralia´s coastline. There were many theories about what could be on
the other side of the Blue Mountains. Some people thought, the land was rich
and fertile. But others believed it was dry and marshland. A telegraph line was
needed to set up a connection with Australia to the rest of the world. The
first men suffered terrible hardships and some lost their lives. In 1859 the
government of Australia offered a prize to the first person who was able to
cross the continent from north to south. Robert Burke and William
Wills were leader of one of the most expensively equipped expeditions in
Australians history. But neither Burke nor Wills had an idea of the outback.
They started in Melbourne, in August 1860. Burke went first, followed by his
team of 15 members. After two months, they had reached Menindee. They set up a
camp, but quarrels broke and Burke dismissed some of his men. The teams had
changing speeds in going. This was the reason for them to separate. Burke got
very impatient to move on. Now the expedition divided into little groups. Once
they arrived at Coopers Creek, Brahe was told to wait there for three months.
Once they arrived at Coopers Creek, Brahe was told to wait there for three
months. Meanwhile Burk, Wills, Charles and King tried to reach the Gulf of
Carpentaria. Suddenly the weather changed. It rained for days and the camels
couldn´t walk anymore, so the group had to go by foot. In February 1861 they
arrived at the sea, but the footway was blocked so they decided to turn back.
They all headed back to
Coopers Creek again. It rained heavily- the land turned into a swamp of slush.
After a time, they even had to eat their camels. Gray, who seemed the
strongest, collapsed and died. In April they arrived at Coopers Creek, they
arrived at Coopers Creek, but their team wasn´t there anymore. Burke decided,
that they should walk to Adelaide. On their way some Aborogines gave them food.
They just missed Brahe, who returned with a rescue party to look for them! In
the meanwhile, Burke, Wills and King slowly began to starve: Wills and Burke
died. Now, King was alone. He looked for some Abos. Without their help he would
have surely died. King was found three months later from a rescue party. They
brought him back to Melbourne.
John McDonall Stuart: he
was the first person that reached the north coast and return alive.
