Extracts from an Australian Holiday
In the Tracks
of Burke and Wills
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The Burke
and Wills Monument in Melbourne
This monument commemorates the Victorian
Exploratory Expedition's disasterous attempt to cross Australia from south
to north. The Expedition commanded by Robert O'Hara Burke, left Melbourne
in August 1860. At Coopers Creek, Burke took William Wills, Charles Gray
and John King on a 'dash into the interior (to) cross the continent'.
They reached the Gulf of Carpentaria in February 1861, but only King survived
the return journey by virtue of assistance from Aborigines. This was Melbournes
first public monument to Victoria's first heroes, and the first major
sculpure conceived and entirely executed in Australia. It was originally
erected at the intersection of Collins and Russell Streets in 1865
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I
am Mike WILLS, and am the fourth cousin, four times removed of William John
WILLS who died at Coopers Creek in 1861. With my wife and second cousin William
WILLS we visited Australia from England between 23rd April
and 15th June 2002. Together with two Australian friends Rob and
Robyn, we followed the route, within the limits of public roads, of the Burke
and Wills Expedition from Melbourne to Birdsville. Much of the detailed planning
was done by Rob without his help our achievements would have been considerably
less.
Before proceeding over the main route of the expedition we visited Canberra
to see the Burke and Wills Exhibition at the National Library. This was on tour
around Australia during 2002 and included many of the artefacts normally in
the Melbourne Library. The relatively few original items included some of William
John’s notebooks and exquisite drawings by Ludwig Becker. Additionally there
were several extremely artistic impressions and paintings of the expedition
that needed the guides interpretation and explanation. I thought this a good
and prestigious presentation that made one realise how little there is surviving
of original items that were actually involved
During
this holiday in Australia we also had the great pleasure in meeting for the
first time some of our distant WILLS cousins from Taree, Sussex Inlet and Lake
Bolac, whose g.g. grandfathers left Devon in the 1850s. Also other cousins descended
from our WILLS female line, at Bairnsdale and Melbourne.
