1817 Oxley exploration of Wiradjuri country
John Oxley, surveyor and explorer, undertook a number of important journeys of exploration during the Macquarie era. In this particular journey to Wiradjuri country, from late April to July 1817, he followed the course of the Lachlan and Macquarie Rivers.
On 6 April Oxley and his deputy, George Evans, travelled from Sydney to Bathurst before setting off to follow the course of the Lachlan River. By July the party had become stuck in marshlands and had to turn northwards to follow the Macquarie River back to Bathurst. Oxley thought this land to be uninhabitable due to the swamps but it is now rich pasture and grazing land.
Chart of the journey
The chart below was drawn by the convict draftsman Thomas William Parr, who accompanied Oxley on this journey. Note that this plan has been drawn with west at the top.
An explorer's poem
This poem by Oxley was written in early July at one of the last camping places noted at the top of the map. The fragment of verse, on a small scrap of paper, was found in a journal of exploration by Allan Cunningham who was a fellow traveler on the expedition. It is an unusual document to be found within an official record and provides an insight into the trials of such a journey into inhospitable terrain.
On the basis of the latitude and longitude given, it would appear to have been written somewhere near present-day Booligal, which has a memorial to Oxley in the form of a giant theodolite.
Related
- View digitised entries in the Colonial Secretary's Papers under John Oxley
- View digitised entries in the Colonial Secretary's Papers under George Evans
- Dunlop, E.W. (2006). Australian Dictionary of Biography. Oxley, John Joseph (1784-1828)
Search the index
Surveyor General's crown plans 1792-1886
A complete listing of the Surveyor General's Crown Plans from the Select List of Maps and Plans (and Supplement), 1792-1886
Published on
Land guides
The Court of Claims
This webinar explores the records of this Court, how to find them and what they can tell you about NSW land ownership in the 19th Century
Commissioners of Crown Lands guide
A brief overview of the major sources and key related series we hold that relate to the Commissioners of Crown Lands
Soldier Settlement guide
A list of the main land records in our collection that relate to returned soldier settlement after World War I. The passage of the Returned Soldiers Settlement Act 1916, (Act No 21 1916) allowed the settlement of returned soldiers on Crown and Closer Settlement lands. When applying for land, an ex-serviceman was required to complete a Qualification Certificate which was a declaration of his or her status as an ex-service person and eligibility for land
Conditional purchase of crown land guide
This Guide provides an historical background on the conditional purchase scheme in NSW from 1862 to 1951, also known as 'free selection before survey' along with a list of the major record series and step-by-step guidance on how to access them