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150th Anniversary of John McDouall Stuart's 1860 Expedition to Central Australia |
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2010 is the 150th anniversary of John McDouall Stuart’s first expedition to Central Australia. He was accompanied by William Kekwick and Benjamin Head.
On 11 April 1860 they camped at Owen Springs on the Hugh River, 50 kilometres west of Alice Springs. They crossed the MacDonnell Ranges at Brinkley Bluff on 14 April and headed for the Hamilton Downs area. On 22 April they reached Central Mount Stuart, in the centre of the continent. There they built a cone of stones with a pole in the middle to which Stuart attached a Union Jack.
They reached Tennant Creek on 6 June and by 26 June were at a place now called Attack Creek. There they were confronted by Warramunga warriors and Stuart decided to abandon the expedition and return to Adelaide. They were running low on supplies and scurvy was taking its toll on all three men.
Stuart led two further expeditions through Central Australia. In 1861 he got as far as Newcastle Waters before turning back. He achieved his goal of crossing the continent in July 1862.
Stuart was a small, wiry Scot whose aim was always to travel lightly and to move quickly. This was a key factor in his success. Each time that he faced an insurmountable barrier in his quest for the north coast, he would turn around, head south again to Adelaide, regroup and try again. He had an amazing capacity to cope with the hardships of intense heat, waterless country and poor food. He is generally regarded as the greatest of Australia’s explorers.
The 100th anniversary of Stuart’s 1860 expedition was a major community event in Alice Springs in 1960. A town ball was held at the Memorial Club on Friday 22 April with the Deputy Prime Minister and Federal Opposition Leader attending to officially open the club’s new hall. On the following Friday 29 April 1960 the first Alice Springs Show was held on Anzac Oval.
A 150th anniversary co-ordinating committee has been formed and is working with the Alice Springs Town Council to coordinate a program of community events for Heritage Week: 10-19 April 2010. |
![nla.pic-an9025855-5 John McDouall Stuart planting the Union Jack on Central Mount Stuart, 1860 [picture] Macfarlane, J., fl. 1890-1898](/images/stories/cms1.jpg "nla.pic-an9025855-5 John McDouall Stuart planting the Union Jack on Central Mount Stuart, 1860 [picture] Macfarlane, J., fl. 1890-1898")
