Explorations in Australia; with an Appendix on the Condition of Western Australia

Abstract

DURING the last three years there has been an admirable activity among the Australian colonists in the exploration of the great tract of unknown land in the centre of the southern continent. It was long ago surmised that this interior was either occupied by a great lake or lakes, or was in the main a barren desert, but only within the last two years has its real condition been conclusively demonstrated. The most prominent names in recent exploration are those of Giles, Gosse, Ross, Lewis, Warburton, and Forrest. The first two were baffled in their attempts to cross the country; even though Gosse was provided with camels, he only reached close on the 130th degree of E. long, when he had to return eastwards. Ross, in 1874, explored a considerable previously unvisited tract to the S.W. of the Neale River, while Lewis explored, in 1874–5, the region to the W., N., and N.E. of Lake Eyre. Col. Warburton has the honour of having been the first to cross the country, starting from Alice Springs on the telegraph line in April 1873, and eight months after, reaching the west coast. His narrative we noticed in vol. xii. p. 46. Mr. John Forrest though yet a young man, has perhaps done more than any recent explorer to make known the real nature of the hitherto unknown or imperfectly known regions. He is, we believe, a native of West Australia, a member of the Colonial Survey, and well qualified in every respect for the trying task of Australian exploration, and the Colonies would do well to make liberal use of his services in order to obtain a satisfactory idea of the resources of their country.

Explorations in Australia; with an Appendix on the Condition of Western Australia.

By John Forrest (London: Sampson Low and Co., 1875.)