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Updated: September 27, 2025
The next prominent figure in the history of this time is Leichhardt, whose unknown fate has been the cause of so much sentiment clinging about his name. Dr. Ludwig Leichhardt arrived in the colony in 1842, and travelled to Moreton Bay overland, where he occupied himself for two years in short excursions in the neighbourhood, pursuing his favourite study of physical science.
Their range is wide, as in 1846 they appeared in flocks of countless multitudes on the Murrimbidgee River, N.S.W., probably driven from their usual regions by drought. They are described and figured in Mr. Gould's great work on the Australian birds. This river was erroneously supposed by its first settlers to be the Lynd of Leichhardt.
About a year after Leichhardt visited Port Essington, the Government abandoned the settlement, and the prevailing opinion in the colony of New South Wales at that time was, that Leichhardt had not been able to reach Eyre's Creek, but had been forced up north, from his intended route, the inland-sea theory still prevailing, and that he had probably returned to the old settlement for relief.
Settlement formed at Somerset, Cape York, by the Queensland Government Expedition of the Brothers Jardine Start from Carpentaria Downs Station Disaster by fire Reduced resources Arrive at the coast of the Gulf Hostility of the blacks Continual attacks Horses mad through drinking salt water Poison country An unfortunate camp Still followed by the natives Rain and bog Dense scrub Efforts of the two brothers to reach Somerset Final Success Lull in exploration Private parties Settlement at Escape Cliffs by South Australia J. M'Kinlay sent up Narrow escape from floods Removal of the settlement to Port Darwin M'Intyre's expedition in search of Leichhardt His death Hunt in Western Australia False reports about traces of Leichhardt Forrest's first expedition Sent to investigate the report of the murder of white men in the interior Convinced of its want of truth Unpromising country Second expedition to Eucla The cliffs of the Great Bight Excursion to the north Safe arrival at Eucla.
On reaching Mount M'Connell, where the tracks of the two former explorers came respectively to the river, and left it, M'Kinlay kept down the river, crossing the formidable Leichhardt Range, through which the Burdekin forces its way to the lower lands of the coast. Here they came to a temporary station, just formed by Mr. Phillip Somer, where they were received with the usual hearty hospitality.
On the 15th of December, 1845, Sir Thomas Mitchell started from Buree, his old point of departure, at the head of the small army with which he was once more going to vanquish the wilderness. Mounted videttes, barometer carrier, carter, and pioneer, etc., etc., were amongst the list of his subordinates. Well might poor Leichhardt say, when thinking over his slender resources:
This man, whose name was Garbut, started a wild and improbable legend about the existence, in the interior, of a settlement of escaped convicts, amongst whom Leichhardt and his band were held prisoners, lest they should reveal the whereabouts of the runaways.
In 1869, a report having spread in Western Australia of the massacre of some white people by the natives somewhere to the eastwards of Champion Bay, on the west coast, the rumour was supposed to relate to Leichhardt and his party; and upon the representations of Baron von Mueller to the West Australian Government, a young surveyor named John Forrest was despatched to investigate the truth of the story.
Leichhardt, are, I think, the most strikingly handsome of all large trees in the north of Queensland. They love to grow near or even in the water, and their broad, beautiful leaves give a welcome shade. But before I descended to the bank I had to remain for some minutes to gaze on the beauty of the scene.
Western Australia, too, had an unfortunate experience about this time, an attempt being made to establish a settlement at Camden Harbour. The country was quite unsuitable, and it was abandoned. Some fresh interest was now aroused in the unsettled question of the fate of Leichhardt. A Mr.
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