Edward John Eyre, born 5 August 1815, was the first white man to cross southern Australia from Adelaide to the west, travelling across the Nullarbor Plain to King George's Sound, now called Albany. Eyre originally intended to cross the continent from south to north, taking with him his overseer, John Baxter, and three Aborigines. He was forced to revise his plans when his way became blocked by the numerous saltpans of South Australia, leading him to believe that a gigantic inland sea in the shape of a horseshoe prevented access to the north.
Following this fruitless attempt, Eyre regrouped at Streaky Bay on the west coast of the Eyre Peninsula. He then continued west, which had never before been attempted, in a gruelling journey across the Nullarbor, during which his party faced starvation, murder and thirst. Source: today.wmit.net for 2 June
Edward Eyre was the first European explorer to travel overland from east to west. Departing from Streaky Bay on the west coast of what is now the Eyre Peninsula, South Australia, he made a long and arduous journey over the Nullarbor Plain to Albany, Western Australia. Accompanying him was his overseer John Baxter, two NSW aboriginal men, Joey and Yarrie, and a Western Australian Aborigine, Wylie. While on the Nullarbor, Joey and Yarrie shot and killed Baxter and ran away with guns and food, leaving Eyre and Wylie to carry on alone.
Edward Eyre was the first European explorer to cross the Australian continent from east to west. Born in 1815 in Hornsea, Yorkshire, he came to Australia as a young man and gained valuable bush skills whilst droving cattle overland from Sydney through to the Liverpool Plains, Molonglo and Port Phillip. Eyre originally intended to cross the continent from south to north, taking with him his overseer, John Baxter, and three Aborigines. He was forced to revise his plans when his way became blocked by the numerous saltpans of South Australia, leading him to believe that a gigantic inland sea in the shape of a horseshoe prevented access to the north. It was then, in 1840, that he set out from what is now called the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia, making his way across the Nullarbor Plain to Albany in the the west.
Edward Eyre's main achievement was being the first European to successfully cross Australia overland from east, near Streaky Bay on the Eyre Peninsula, to west, near Albany in Western Australia. He had originally attempted to be the first to cross the Australian continent from south to north, but was stopped by salt lakes.
In 1840, Edward Eyre discovered Lake Eyre, which was one of several salt lakes which blocked Eyre's attempt to cross from south to north. Other salt lakes which seemed to Eyre to form an impassable horseshoe-shaped barrier included Lake Blanche, Lake Torrens and Lake Callabonna, also discovered by Eyre but believed to be part of an inland sea. Eyre incorrectly formed the opinion that they all formed one large salt lake. It was another couple of decades before further exploration showed that they were separate salt lakes, and not an inland sea. Edward Eyre is better known for being the first European to cross Australia from Adelaide to Albany, or east to west, rather than for any great discoveries.
John Eyre was Jane Eyre's uncle in the book, "Jane Eyre." He was a Maderian trader that was looking for Jane.
Edward Eyre crossed the Nullarbor Plain in 1840-1841.
Edward Eyre crossed the Nullarbor Plain.
The first explorer to cross the Nullarbor Plain was Edward John Eyre.
The Eyre Highway crosses the Nullarbor Plain in Australia.
Edward Eyre became the first European to cross from east to west, when he crossed the Nullarbor Plain in 1840-41.
Edward Eyre was an Australian explorer. He was the first to cross the Nullarbor Plain, making the first overland journey from east to west.
The Eyre Highway passes through the Nullarbor Plain, a vast, treeless plain in southern Australia known for its flat and arid landscape.
The Eyre Highway crosses the Nullarbor Plain.
Eyre was not the first to cross Australia from south to north, which was his original goal. However, he was the first to cross Australia from "east to west", even though he didn't start from the eastern coast. He was the first to cross the Nullarbor plain to the west.
Australian explorer Edward Eyre was arguably best known for his incredible feat of crossing the Nullarbor Plain from Streaky Bay, on the western coast of the Eyre Peninsula, to Albany, or King George's Sound, in Western Australia. Eyre was the first to travel across the Nullarbor Plain.
Yes, Edward John Eyre was an English explorer who traversed the Australian continent on various expeditions during the 19th century. Eyre is known for his journey from Adelaide to Albany in 1840-1841, during which he became the first European to cross the Nullarbor Plain.
Eyre departed on his journey across the Nullarbor in November 1840, and arrived at the west coast in July 1841. The journey took about 8 months.