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Edward Eyre was important because, like each of the explorers, he added to the knowledge of what lay in Australia's interior. So much of his exploring was done in hope of advancing the newly established colony of SouthAustralia.

Eyre wanted to be the first to drive cattle overland from Sydney to the new colony of South Australia. He first explored in 1837, when he departed from Limestone Plains (today's site of Canberra), with over a thousand sheep and cattle. He travelled first to Melbourne, then tried to head directly west to Adelaide. Conditions were difficult, as it was a drought year, so he could not get through the mallee country of western Victoria. Eyre had to retrace his steps to the Murray River, and his first explorations were not successful.

In 1839, Eyre left Adelaide to explore north. He discovered excellent countryside just north of Adelaide and around today's Hutt River. It was on this journey that he discovered and named Mount Remarkable. Eyre finally arrived at the head of Spencer Gulf on 15 May 1839, where he discovered and named Depot Creek.

Eyre left Adelaide in June 1840 to explore north towards the centre of Australia. He did not get very far as he was blocked by salt lake after salt lake: each time he attempted to go around a salt lake, he found his way barred by yet another. This led to Eyre's theory that Adelaide was surrounded by a vast horseshoe-shaped salt lake. By sheer bad luck, Eyre was unable to locate any of the breaks between the numerous salt-lakes which encircled the area. In September 1840, Eyre climbed and named "Mt Hopeless". Following this unsuccessful attempt, Eyre returned to Streaky Bay, on the western coast of the Eyre Peninsula. From there he then travelled to past where Ceduna is today, reaching Fowler's Bay on 17 November 1840. At this point, he chose to go west, which no-one had ever tried before. He finally reached Albany in June 1841 in an amazing journey of courage and endurance across the Nullarbor Plain.

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11y ago

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