0
Why was the Burke and Wills expedition known as the most tragic expedition in Australian history?
Wiki User
∙ 11y ago
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.
Wiki User
∙ 11y ago
Add your answer:
Earn +20 pts
What effect did Robert O'Hara Burke have on Australia?
Very little. The South Australian government offered a reward of two thousand pounds to the first expedition to reach the northern coast. 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. This was the expedition led by Robert O'Hara Burke. 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). Burke and Wills did not actually find anything of value on their arduous trek across Australia's inland. They found no new rivers and no new pasture land, and honestly did not contribute anything to the discovery of Australia. Their greatest claim to fame is the unfortunate fact that they embarked upon the biggest, most expensive expedition in Australia's history, and due to Burke's impatience, it ended up the most disastrous, with the loss of three lives.
What did Calamity Jane Burke do?
Calamity Jane Burke was traveling on theLewis and Clark expedition, with Sacajawea.
Was Explorer Robert O'Hara Burke married?
Explorer of Australia Robert O'Hara Burke was not married. There are suggestions that he volunteered to lead the expedition to the north because he had proposed to a young acress named Julia Matthews. She responded that she would consider marriage if Burke was the triumphant winner of the race to the north and back.
Were Burke and Wills heroes of exploration?
Yes, in an Australian traditional sense they were, two blokes going against the odds but seeking adventure and fame. From a historian's perspective they were heroic to attempt the task but ill prepared for what lay ahead of them. They were Australia's Scott of the Antarctica. Another opinion: It is not strictly accurate to say Burke and Wills were ill prepared. Their expedition was the largest and most well-equipped of any Australian exploration party. Burke could hardly be considered a hero of exploration: he was ill-tempered and impatient, traits which had a great deal of influence on the tragic outcome of the exploration. Also, he did not seek adventure and fame. His motivation was primarily to impress the girl he wished to marry, who promised she would marry him if he went on the journey. Wills, on the other hand, could be regarded as a hero of exploration. He did not have Burke's arrogance or impatience. He had more of a scientific interest in the exploration and sought to follow the orders of the colonial government in Victoria. He sought to hold the exploration party together where Burke's interest was to complete the task as quickly as possible, at the expense of good judgement.
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.
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.
When did Burke and Wills cross Australia?
Burke and Wills made their ill-fated expedition to cross the Australian continent in 1860-1861.
What was the name of Robert O'Hara Burke's horse?
Robert O'Hara Burke's horse was named Billy. Billy was also an unfortunate victim of this tragic expedition, dying on the return journey from the Gulf of carpentaria.
How does the Burke and Wills expedition affect us today?
It was part of the exploration of the Australian continent, and has no effect on us today, except perhaps as an inspiration.
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 was the Burke and Wills expedition?
The ill-fated Burke and Wills expedition across Australia was in 1860-1861.
When was James Burke - Australian politician - born?
James Burke - Australian politician - was born in 1971.
What effect did Robert O'Hara Burke have on Australia?
Very little. The South Australian government offered a reward of two thousand pounds to the first expedition to reach the northern coast. 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. This was the expedition led by Robert O'Hara Burke. 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). Burke and Wills did not actually find anything of value on their arduous trek across Australia's inland. They found no new rivers and no new pasture land, and honestly did not contribute anything to the discovery of Australia. Their greatest claim to fame is the unfortunate fact that they embarked upon the biggest, most expensive expedition in Australia's history, and due to Burke's impatience, it ended up the most disastrous, with the loss of three lives.
What year did Burke and wills explore?
The Burke and Wills expedition left Melbourne in 1860.
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.
What is the town Burke named after?
The town Burke was named after a famous Australian explorer Robert O'Hara burke
What year did Burke and Wills explore Australia?
The Burke and Wills expedition left Melbourne in 1860.
