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Departure from Royal Park
Leaving Melbourne to travel across Australia.
Bringing All of Australia with me -
The party pauses at Swan Hill
While Burke takes on extra stores, dismisses some of his men and hires new ones. -
At Menindie
Burke divides his party, leaving a large quantity of stores and equipment in the charge of William Wright, to be brought up to a base on Cooper's Creek. -
Leaving Menindie
Burke leaves Menindie. -
Burke arrives at Cooper's Creek
Burke arrives at Cooper's Creek -
Depot is established
Burke and others spend two weeks reconnoitring north for water. -
Set out for the Gulf of Carpentaria
Burke, Wills, John King and Charlie Gray set out for the Gulf of Carpentaria, leaving William Brahe at the depot (Camp LXV), with instructions to wait three months. -
Reach swamp flats on the Flinders River
On, or about, this date the explorers reach swamp flats on the Flinders River. Leaving King and Gray, Burke and Wills attempt to reach the coast and gain a clear sight of the Gulf but fail to do so. -
Begin their return to Cooper's Creek.
begin their return to Cooper's Creek. -
Begin to kill their animals for food.
With supplies running short they begin to kill their animals for food. -
Most of equipment is jettisoned
Most of their equipment is jettisoned. -
Gray dies.
Gray dies. -
Return to Camp LXV
They return to Camp LXV, Brahe's party having departed earlier the same day. -
Decide to follow the Creek
They decide to follow the Creek and head towards the settled districts of South Australia rather than attempt to catch Brahe. In the ensuing weeks their condition steadily declines due to their lack of food and clothing. Their attempts to live off the land are unsuccessful - the one native food they learn to obtain, the seed of the nardoo plant, actually poisons them because they do not know how to prepare it properly. -
Brahe returns to Camp LXV
Brahe returns to Camp LXV but fails to notice any sign that the explorers had been there. -
Wills returns to Camp LXV
Wills, at Burke's request, returns to Camp LXV to leave a note of their whereabouts. Also buries his field books -
Wills returns to his companions.
Wills returns to his companions. -
Explorers weaken steadily
The explorers weaken steadily - Burke and Wills die within a few days of each other. King succeeds in joining a group of Yantruwanta and lives with them for several months. -
Howitt's party finds King
Howitt's party finds King
