Burke & Wills / Desert

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Burke & Wills / Desert

Robert O Hara Burke and W. J. Wills were the first men to cross Australia from south to north. Burke, Wills and King in the Australian desert

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Media ID 619578

© Mary Evans Picture Library 2015 - https://copyrighthub.org/s0/hub1/creation/maryevans/MaryEvansPictureID/10070491

1860 Australian Burke Desert Wills

EDITORS COMMENTS
This evocative image captures the determination and courage of Robert O'Hara Burke and William John Wills, two intrepid explorers who embarked on the first recorded crossing of Australia from south to north in 1860. Burke, Wills, and their companion, John King, set out from Melbourne on August 20, 1860, with a team of 19 men and 27 camels. Their expedition was a response to a British offer of a £10,000 reward for the first successful crossing of the continent. The arduous journey took them through the harsh and unforgiving Australian desert, where they faced numerous challenges, including extreme heat, limited water supplies, and treacherous terrain. Despite these obstacles, they made good progress, reaching the Gulf of Carpentaria on December 16, 1860, just over four months after setting out. However, their triumph was short-lived. On their return journey, the group became lost and ran out of food and water. Burke and Wills, along with several others, eventually succumbed to exhaustion and starvation. King was the only member of the party to make it back to civilization, arriving in Melbourne on April 21, 1861, with tragic news of his companions' fate. This photograph, taken around the time of the expedition, shows Burke, Wills, and King in the Australian desert, dressed in their explorer's gear and surrounded by their camels. Their determined expressions and resolute gazes speak to the indomitable spirit of adventure that drove them to undertake this historic journey. Despite the tragic outcome, their achievement remains a significant milestone in Australian history, and their story continues to inspire generations of explorers and adventurers.

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