Gregory's explorations

The North Australian Expedition 1855 was sponsored by the Royal Geographical Society (London). The purpose of the expedition was to examine the natural resources of the region with a view to potential settlement. Under the command of Augustus Charles Gregory, the expedition lasted from August 1855 to November 1856. The party landed at the mouth of the Victoria River on the upper north-west coast of the Northern Territory on 15 September 1855. The group explored that river system and as far south as the edges of the Sandy Desert before making the crossing to Brisbane on the east coast of Australia. While the report of the resources found was disappointing for the expedition's sponsors, the expedition itself was remarkable. In addition to the Victoria River system, the party explored the Elsey, Roper, Macarthur and Leichhardt Rivers. The crossing of the continent entailed some 8,000 kilometres. The expedition was notable for its excellent management and lack of any drama that may have cemented it more firmly in the imagination and memory of Australians, who are perhaps more impressed by death and disaster.

Trained as a surveyor under John Roe, Surveyor-General of Western Australia, Gregory showed great aptitude, bushmanship and an ability to manage men, qualities that ably fitted him to the position of expedition leader. The expedition included Ferdinand von Mueller, who would become the leading Australian botanist of the 19th century; Thomas Baines as expedition artist and storekeeper; Joseph Elsey as surgeon and naturalist; and Henry Gregory, the leader's younger brother.

After leaving the Victoria River district, Gregory's route to the east coast largely mirrored that of Ludwig Leichhardt who had explored west from Brisbane to Port Essington in 1844-45. In doing so Gregory also missed the significant grasslands of the Barkly Tableland which would be discovered in December 1861 by William Landsborough.

Gregory in later life became Surveyor-General of Queensland and is remembered as one of Australia's greatest explorers.

Permission to use this item for any purpose, including publishing, is not required from the State Library under these conditions of use.

Buy a high resolution copy.