John McDouall Stuart began exploring northern South Australia in 1858, working for the Chambers Brothers and seeking on their behalf, good pastoral lands and the possibility of minerals. He led successive expeditions over the next few years, working with small parties of men and travelling light with pack horses, rather than the cumbersome drays used by many explorers. In 1861 he reached as far north as Newcastle Waters in the Northern Territory before being turned back by dense scrub, low water supplies and the condition of his men. Then the South Australian Government funded him to go out again, on a sixth expedition. It was hoped this time, having already pioneered a route so far to the north, that he would reach the north coast of Australia.
This time he had with him nine men and 71 horses. Leaving Chambers Creek in January 1862, they had reached the centre of Australia by 11 March. They followed the known good water sources north until they reached Newcastle Waters. After a rest here for a week the party moved on again, striking to the north-west as per their instructions to head to the Victoria River. Rebuffed twice by the conditions Stuart then tried a more north-easterly direction and found water. Their water supply became more regular and the party pushed forward, heading now, not for the Victoria but the Adelaide River. In fact Stuart was further east than he thought and was following the Mary River. Finally on 24 July 1862 Stuart reached the sea, the shores of Van Diemen's Gulf. The flag was raised, a note recording the arrival of the expedition was buried, and a tree blazed. The weary men and horses turned south for Adelaide.
Stuart was exhausted and debilitated from six strenuous expeditions in little over four years. Eventually his men would transport him on a stretcher slung between two of the horses. He received his reward from the South Australian Government and shortly afterwards returned to England. He died a few years later in 1866.
When settlers began arriving in the Territory, people looked for but were unable to find Stuart's blazed tree. Doubt crept in. Had he reached the north coast or had he fabricated the story? Then in 1883 the tree was found, overgrown with shrubs, but still bearing its blaze. Stuart's reputation was restored.
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