Sarah Murgatroyd · 2002 · survival

Sarah Murgatroyd's acclaimed 2002 account of the Burke and Wills expedition of 1860-61, the most lavishly funded and most disastrous in Australian history. An Irish policeman with no bush experience led a party to make the first south-to-north crossing of the continent. They reached the Gulf of Carpentaria, but on the return Burke, Wills and Gray starved to death on Cooper Creek, the survivors missing their relief depot by a matter of hours. The carved coolabah known as the Dig Tree still stands.

1. 1
   Melbourne

   The lavishly equipped expedition sets out to be the first to cross the continent from south to north.

2. 2
   Menindee

   On the Darling at Menindee, the impatient Burke splits the party and pushes ahead.

3. 3
   Cooper Creek

   At Cooper Creek he builds a depot and leaves Brahe to wait, then dashes for the Gulf with Wills, King and Gray.

4. 4
   Gulf of Carpentaria

   They reach the tidal channels near the Gulf, the first crossing complete, but mangroves bar them from the open sea.

5. 5
   Cooper Creek

   Back at Cooper Creek, starving, they find the depot abandoned that very morning, nine hours too late: the Dig Tree.

6. 6
   Mount Hopeless

   A last doomed push toward the nearest station at Mount Hopeless. Burke and Wills died on the creek; only King survived.