Burke and Wills’ surprising first-day camp

A lot of Australians will know about the famous explorer's Burke and Wills and their ill-fated journey from Melbourne to Central Australia. But what many don’t know is that the first day of their travels ended with a stop in the inner-city Melbourne suburb of Moonee Ponds - a trip which could be completed on a tram in 10 minutes today! Our story today focuses on their little-known stop on this historic and legendary journey.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
In the winter of eighteen sixty two men and their
exploration crew set out from gold Rushira Melbourne to cross
the continent. You've probably heard of them. Robert O'Hara, Burke
and William John Wills have gone down in Australian history
for their ill fated expedition. But Burke had no exploration experience.

(00:22):
He was a policeman, which might explain a few things.
I'm a Manda Keller and this is brain fuel taking
the scenic which through great Aussie stories from the road
fueled by Ampol, Australia's own. The government had supplied nineteen men,
twenty six camels and twenty three horses to take them

(00:43):
on their journey. Fifteen thousand people gathered at Royal Park
to see them off. A band played. It was an
auspicious start, one would think, but the weather was rough,
it was cold, and their equipment was unreliable.

Speaker 2 (00:59):
Hi. I'm Jenny. Been living here in Money Ponds for
twelve years. We liked how easy it is to get
into the city.

Speaker 1 (01:06):
One wagon broke down before it even left the park,
and two more carked it on the first day. They
were carrying as much as twenty tons of gear enough
food to last two years.

Speaker 2 (01:18):
It's great here. We've got the local shopping center, good schools,
really nice parks.

Speaker 1 (01:25):
Through treacherous conditions with the odds stacked against them. By
the end of day one, they traveled from Melbourne all
the way to Mooney Ponds. Yeah.

Speaker 2 (01:33):
Well the freeway goes right into town one way, and
then if you go the other way, it goes out
to Tallamarine, so it's pretty easy to get everywhere.

Speaker 1 (01:40):
Really exhausted from their journey, the exploration party made camp.
In the days to come, they'd be forced to travel
on bad roads through heavy rain. It was an unfortunate
start to a journey that ultimately killed them.

Speaker 2 (01:55):
Well, he works right in the city, so Dean can
just catch the train. Ebony and I will even go
and meet him the city for lunch.

Speaker 1 (02:03):
Sometimes only one man survived to make it back to Melbourne.
Both Burke and Wills died around June twenty eighth, eighteen
sixty one, near the border where Queensland and South Australia meet.
Burke's final note, written on pages torn from his diary
shortly before he died, reads, I hope we shall be

(02:24):
done justice by.

Speaker 2 (02:26):
Google, says It's only eleven point six kilometers to the CVD,
Sir super convenient.

Speaker 1 (02:35):
Yes. One of Australia's most expensive and infamous expeditions began
in the inner suburbs of modern day Melbourne. A tree
was planted to commemorate their journey to Mooney Ponds, but
now that's gone too. Burke and Wills Ossie Legends from

(02:56):
the Inner West of Melbourne or whatever your journey ampole
is all that gets you there. Make sure you follow
our adventures for free in your favorite podcast app. I'm
Amanda Keller and this is brain Fuel.