Phoenix, David (2012) Burke and Wills: an overview of the Expedition, its preparation, planning and outcomes. Queensland History Journal, 21 (8). pp. 497-509.

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Abstract

The Victorian Exploring Expedition was organised by the Royal Society of Victoria who wanted to contribute to the advance of geographical knowledge. The desire for the colony of Victoria to become involved in exploration was unusual and the expedition eventuated as the result of a remarkable set of circumstances that occurred in Melbourne in the 1850s. It took three years to organise and outfit the expedition and during that time the objectives changed frequently and the aims were never clearly defined. The way the Society established the expedition was unlike any previous Australian expedition. The expedition was renamed the Burke and Wills Expedition after the deaths of the two leaders. Although it is easy to imagine the drama on the expedition centered solely on Burke and Wills, the story of the expedition is a complicated one which involved many people in various groups scattered all across the continent. Fifty people sat on the Exploration Committee in Melbourne and at one stage there were more than one hundred and twenty people employed on the expedition and the relief expeditions - it was a large undertaking.

Item ID:	50830
Item Type:	Article (Research - C1)
ISSN:	1836-5477
Date Deposited:	03 Oct 2017 01:22
FoR Codes:	21 HISTORY AND ARCHAEOLOGY > 2103 Historical Studies > 210303 Australian History (excl Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander History) @ 100%
SEO Codes:	95 CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING > 9505 Understanding Past Societies > 950503 Understanding Australias Past @ 100%
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