How were the findings of Charles Sturt received by the authorities?

Answer 1

Charles Sturt's discoveries were received with gratitude and considerable acclaim as one of Australia's greatest explorers. He solved the mystery of where the inland rivers of New South Wales flowed. The Sydney Gazette newspaper reported that "Captain Sturt has inscribed his name in indelible characters upon the records of our history." Governor Darling also acknowledged that Sturt had added "in a highly important degree" to knowledge of what lay inland.

When Sturt first traced the Macquarie River as far as the Darling, which he named after Governor Darling, the governor was sufficiently pleased with Sturt's discoveries, sending him to trace the course of the Murrumbidgee River, and to see whether it joined to the Darling. On this expedition, Sturt discovered that the Murrumbidgee River flowed into the Murray (previously named the Hume), as did the Darling. By following the Murray in a collapsible whaleboat, Sturt found that it flowed to the southern ocean, emptying out at Lake Alexandrina on the south coast. The expedition was valuable for opening up Australia's inland waterways to the transportation of people and goods. It also contributed significantly to the decision to open South Australia for settlement.