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What benefits did the Burke and Wills Expedition have on Australia?
Wiki User
∙ 15y ago
Sad to say, the Burke and Wills expedition did not bring any notable benefits to Australia. It could be said that their expedition added to the knowledge of the Australian interior, but more knowledge was gained by the many search parties sent out to find them. It was, unfortunately, a large and expensive expedition that, in the end, proved quite futile.
Wiki User
∙ 15y ago
Wiki User
∙ 11y agoThe Burke and Wills expedition had the potential to be very important to the state of Victoria. Burke and Wills, like John McDouall Stuart in South Australia, were seeking a suitable route for a telegraph line from the southern regions of Australia to the north. A telegraph link to the rest of the world was available off Java, but it had to be linked to a centre in the north, then an overland telegraph line constructed to carry messages down to the main cities in the south.
This would provide a very important link for Australia to the rest of the world, and Victoria wanted to be the first state to receive overseas news, as this would be a psychological advantage for the state. It also could have been the winning card to tip the authorities in favour of making Melbourne Australia's national capital in the future, over the larger and older Sydney (as it was, neither Melbourne nor Sydney was chosen).
Both South Australia and Victoria were vying to be the first to make a successful crossing of the continent, and both states offered sizable rewards. Burke and Wills represented the Victorian bid to cross the continent. In the end, due to their premature deaths, the Burke and Wills expedition sadly had no lasting importance or significance for Australia, except in history books.
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Source for online transcript of Royal Commission into the Burke and Wills Expedition?
Possibly your best source is the National Library of Australia, but there may not be a transcript available online. Try the link below, as it contains a large number of papers relating to the Burke and Wills expedition.
Did Burke and Wills meet aborigines?
Yes. Explorers Burke and Wills did meet Aborigines. Initially,the indigenous people tried to assist the explorers by feeding them. However, Burke became suspicious of the Aborigines and fearful that they were stealing supplies, so he frightened them off with gunshots. As a result, the indigenous people abandoned Burke and Wills, although they did keep John King alive.
Why was the Burke and Wills expedition known as the most tragic expedition in Australian history?
The Burke and Wills expedition of 1860-61 is considered one of Australia's most tragic expeditions because of the explorers' unnecessary deaths. Burke and Wills hoped to be the first explorers to cross overland from the south of Australia to the north. They departed from Melbourne and reached the Gulf of Carpentaria, but due to a series of misunderstandings and miscommunication, the relief party never reached Burke and Wills, and the men died out in the desert, on the banks of Cooper Creek. The exact cause of Burke and Wills's death was not starvation or malnutrition, but inadvertent poisoning. The men knew that the Aborigines gathered nardoo which they had used to sustain Burke and Wills, until they were frightened off by Burke's defensiveness against the Aborigines. So, whilst awaiting the rescue that never came, Burke and Wills made their way to where they knew Aborigines collected Nardoo. Nardoo was an important bush food for Aborigines, who knew how to prepare its seedpods (or, strictly speaking, sporocaps) to make flour. The sporocarps contain poisons that must first be removed for them to be eaten safely. Studies of the explorers' journals indicate that they probably died of nardoo poisoning, after failing to follow precautions from the Aborigines of how to prepare it safely.
Did Burke and Wills' achievement impact on the colony?
Not really, no, because there was no real achievement.The Burke and Wills expedition had the potential to be very important to the state of Victoria. Burke and Wills, like John McDouall Stuart in South Australia, were seeking a suitable route for a telegraph line from the southern regions of Australia to the north. A telegraph link to the rest of the world was available off Java, but it had to be linked to a centre in the north, then an overland telegraph line constructed to carry messages down to the main cities in the south.This would provide a very important link for Australia to the rest of the world, and Victoria wanted to be the first state to receive overseas news, as this would be a psychological advantage for the state. It also could have been the winning card to tip the authorities in favour of making Melbourne Australia's national capital in the future, over the larger and older Sydney (as it was, neither Melbourne nor Sydney was chosen).Both South Australia and Victoria were vying to be the first to make a successful crossing of the continent, and both states offered sizable rewards. Burke and Wills represented the Victorian bid to cross the continent. In the end, due to their premature deaths, the Burke and Wills expedition sadly had no lasting importance or significance for Australia, except in history books.
Who went on the exploration of Burke and Wills?
This exploration was led by Robert O'Hara Burke and William John Wills. Accompanying them on their trek to the Gulf was John King and Charlie Gray.Other members of the Burke and Wills expedition included:George LandellsDr Ludwig BeckerDr Hernmann BecklerWilliam WrightCharles FergusonOwen CowenWilliam BraheHenry CreberRobert FletcherThomas McDonoughWilliam PattenPatrick LanganJohn DrakefordJames McIlwaineJames LaneBrookesJohn PolongeauxRobert BowmanWilliam PurcellJohn SmithCharles StoneThomas ElliotGeorg von NeumayerWilliam HodgkinsonTrooper LyonsAlexander McPhersonCamel sepoys included:SamlaDost MahometEssau KhanBeloot
What year was the Burke and Wills expedition?
The ill-fated Burke and Wills expedition across Australia was in 1860-1861.
What year did Burke and Wills explore Australia?
The Burke and Wills expedition left Melbourne in 1860.
When did Burke and Wills cross Australia?
Burke and Wills made their ill-fated expedition to cross the Australian continent in 1860-1861.
How did Burke and Wills benefit us today?
Despite enduring incredibly gruelling conditions on their expedition, it cannot be said that Burke and Wills benefit modern Australians today. The Burke and Wills expedition did not bring any notable benefits to Australia. It could be said that their expedition added to the knowledge of the Australian interior, but more knowledge was gained by the many search parties sent out to find them. It was, unfortunately, a large and expensive expedition that, in the end, proved quite futile.
What year did Burke and wills explore?
The Burke and Wills expedition left Melbourne in 1860.
What role did Wills have in the Burke and Wills expedition?
On the Burke and Wills expedition, Wills was initially appointed as third-in-command, surveyor, astronomical and meteorological observer. When George Landells resigned after a dispute with Burke (some sources say Burke fired Landells), Wills was then appointed second-in-command.
Which continent did Burke and Wills explore?
Robert O'Hara Burke and William Wills led the 1860-61 expedition to try to cross the continent of Australia, from Melbourne in the south to the Gulf of Carpentaria in the north.
What transport did Burke and wills come on?
During Burke and Wills' expedition, they used both horses and camels.
When did Burke and Wills start on their expedition?
The expedition of Burke and Wills set out on Monday, 20 August 1860, leaving from Royal Park, Melbourne, Victoria.
When did Burke and Wills leave for the expedition?
Australian explorers Burke and Wills departed on their expedition on Monday, 20 August 1860, from Royal Park, Melbourne.
Source for online transcript of Royal Commission into the Burke and Wills Expedition?
Possibly your best source is the National Library of Australia, but there may not be a transcript available online. Try the link below, as it contains a large number of papers relating to the Burke and Wills expedition.
How long was Burke and Wills expedition?
Burke and Wills departed Melbourne on 20 August 1860. Burke is believed to have died on 30 June 1861, and Wills a few days later. Therefore, their expedition was just over ten months long.
