The early explorer of Australia ’ s interior spoke of being the first European ‘ intruder ’ on untouched lands , of being conscious that he was ‘ harbinger of mighty changes ’, he understood that what he was embarking on would soon be followed by men and animals to change the land and people forever . I understood what Mitchell had considered , yet I needed to follow his footsteps , the tracks of his oxen , his sheep , I needed to follow the wheel tracks of his carts .
Mitchell ’ s third expedition into the far reaches of the new British colony of New South Wales took place 180 years ago , a seven-month expedition through 1836 , with a party of 25 men , several Aboriginals , and many cattle , sheep and carts . I planned to follow as closely as possible his exact route on my 2016 BMW F800GSA , everything I ’ d need to be taken with me . I intended to face what he and his team faced , the same trials and tribulations , discoveries , excitement .
Muster Point
Leaving the Sydney suburb of
Parramatta I headed west , through the Blue Mountains , past the town of Bathurst ( which had been proclaimed just 27 years after the 1788 European settlement of Australia ) toward Mount Canobolas , the highest peak in the area , where Mitchell had first had his team group and assess their planned route although , he had been this way on two previous occasions .
I rode to the summit of the extinct volcano and marvelled at what Mitchell must ’ ve seen so long ago ; a 360-degree view of the vast plains , punctuated by the occasional bump on the distant horizon . Looking at that beautiful view above the surrounding plains , I thought back to what Mitchell had described . I needed to find a camp , a refuge for the night , somewhere near the peak of this majestic mound , at 1300 metres surely one of the highest camps I ’ d ever had in Australia .
Leaping From Peak To Peak
Sunrise cast a giant shadow toward the west , roughly the direction I needed to head . In a time when ‘ adventurers ’ have become reliant on modern , highly detailed maps or GPS devices , it became apparent how Mitch-
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