Why was Robert O'Hara Burke's exploration important to Australia?

Answer 1

When the South Australian government offered a reward of two thousand pounds to the first expedition to reach the northern coast, it started a chain of events that affected a Scottish explorer by the name of John McDowall/McDougall Stuart, a young Englishman by the name of William Wills, and an Irishman named Robert O'Hara Burke. Due to the South Australian challenge, the Victorian Government decided to sponsor its own extremely well-funded and well-equipped expedition from south to north. The proposed expedition was widely publicised, and confidence in its success rode on the back of the new wealth being enjoyed by the young colony of Victoria in the wake of the goldrushes. Burke had absolutely no experience in exploring, and it remains a mystery as to why he was even chosen to lead the expedition. He was a police superintendent on the goldfields, and had a tendency towards quick impatience (which was his undoong, in the end). There is evidence to suggest that Burke offered to lead the expedition because he had proposed to a young acress named Julia Matthews, who responded that she would consider marriage if Burke was the triumphant winner of the race to the north and back.

Answer 2

When the South Australian government offered a reward of two thousand pounds to the first expedition to reach the northern coast, it started a chain of events that affected a Scottish explorer by the name of John McDowall/McDougall Stuart, a young Englishman by the name of William Wills, and an Irishman named Robert O'Hara Burke.

Due to the South Australian challenge, the Victorian Government decided to sponsor its own extremely well-funded and well-equipped expedition from south to north. The proposed expedition was widely publicised, and confidence in its success rode on the back of the new wealth being enjoyed by the young colony of Victoria in the wake of the goldrushes.

Burke had absolutely no experience in exploring, and it remains a mystery as to why he was even chosen to lead the expedition. He was a police superintendent on the goldfields, and had a tendency towards quick impatience (which was his undoing, in the end). There is evidence to suggest that Burke offered to lead the expedition because he had proposed to a young acress named Julia Matthews, who responded that she would consider marriage if Burke was the triumphant winner of the race to the north and back.

Wills had more bush experience. He was apparently a likeable young man with leadership potential. Originally, he was third in command, but because Burke (a rather fiery tempered chap who did not like his judgments being questioned) had a run-in with his original second-in-command, Landells, he was fired - and Wills was promoted to second-in-command.

Answer 3

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.

Answer 4

When the South Australian government offered a reward of two thousand pounds to the first expedition to reach the northern coast, it started a chain of events that affected a Scottish explorer by the name of John McDowall/McDougall Stuart, a young Englishman by the name of William Wills, and an Irishman named Robert O'Hara Burke.

Due to the South Australian challenge, the Victorian Government decided to sponsor its own extremely well-funded and well-equipped expedition from south to north. The proposed expedition was widely publicised, and confidence in its success rode on the back of the new wealth being enjoyed by the young colony of Victoria in the wake of the goldrushes.

Burke had absolutely no experience in exploring, and it remains a mystery as to why he was even chosen to lead the expedition. He was a police superintendent on the goldfields, and had a tendency towards quick impatience (which was his undoong, in the end). There is evidence to suggest that Burke offered to lead the expedition because he had proposed to a young acress named Julia Matthews, who responded that she would consider marriage if Burke was the triumphant winner of the race to the north and back.