pedition from Melbourne to the Gulf
of Carpentaria and return, for little
more than fame and fortune, came to
a deadly end. Both died on the banks
of the Cooper Creek, while refusing
help from the local aboriginals. Com-
pounding the ludicrous tragedy that
was the expedition, the depot party
abandoned their camp just hours
before Burke, Wills and John King
returned. A simple message carved
into a tree could perhaps have saved
their lives. This is now known as the
Dig Tree.
The Yandruwandha helped King,
he’d been compelled to learn from
the indigenous peoples along the
whole expedition, ensuring he was
able to return to Melbourne and tell
of the tale. Sadly, he seems to be the
forgotten ‘leader’ of the whole expe-
dition. It’s said the Yandruwandha
cried at the death of Burke, despite
his severe lack of compassion to-
wards them.
The banks of the Cooper are an
oasis amongst some of the harshest
land on Earth, yet the banks hold a
strange aura, there’s a sadness in the
land, a feeling the past is watching.
North. We followed the 141st me-
ridian on the western side, in South
Australia on the Cordillo Downs road.
It seemed to be a track less travelled;
TRAVERSE 107
well made yet rough, sandy and stone
littered for most. Once out of the
Innamincka Regional Reserve the
road improved, albeit it little. En-
tering the station the road is named
for, we approached what is said to be
the ‘world’s largest shearing shed’.
Unique in its stone construction, it
sat massively unimpressive. Was I
expecting more? I wanted it to be
more. The expanse of barren land
dwarfed the structure. We moved on;
Birdsville beckoned.
Originally established as Diaman-
tina Crossing in 1881, Birdsville’s
origins have a dubious history. Bird-
field, Burtsville, no one can explain