To the Gulf and back: Jan-Jun 1861

Starting on 16 December 1860, Burke, Wills, Gray and King headed north toward the Gulf, following the creeks that make up the Diamantina river system. Early in 1861 they crossed the Tropic of Capricorn near Boulia. By  9 February they knew they were close to the Gulf. Burke and Wills went on alone but although on 11 February they could taste salt water in the creeks, they could not negotiate the mangroves and tidal flats and returned to camp 119 without having a sight of the sea. The four men then retraced their route, now travelling in the wet season and becoming progressively weaker as their supplies diminished and some of their pack animals died. On 3 April, Wills was forced to leave his navigational instruments buried at the Plant Camp. Gray died on 17 April, Burke insisted on burying him, which took a day. Four days later, in the evening of 21 April, Burke, Wills and King reached the depot at Cooper Creek, only to discover that Brahe and the Depot Party had left that morning, after waiting more than four months for Burke's return.

After retrieving the supplies left at the Dig Tree by Brahe, the three men made an attempt to reach Mt Hopeless. The last of the camels died as they travel south, and without pack animals, they could not carry the water they needed to cross the Strzelecki desert. They returned to the Cooper. Although they had been introduced to ngardu (nardoo) as a food source by the aborigines, they did not process the seeds properly before eating them and by the end of June or early July, both Burke and Wills were dead.

Month by month timeline

January

1-
7

Burke’s party continue northwards camping at Umpadiboo Creek, Georgina River, Kings Creek

 

8-
9

Cross the Tropic of Capricorn, camp at Burke River near Boulia

Hodgkinson returns to Menindee from Melbourne with instructions for Wright to follow Burke to the Cooper

 

10-19

Continue north camping at junction of Burke River and Wills River, De Littles Ranges, south of Mt Bruce, Bindon's Creek, Monastery Creek, near Mount Forbeson

 

20-31

Burke’s party crosses the Selwyn Ranges and follow Corella Creek to the Dugald River

 

26

Wright and the Supply Party leave Menindee

February

1-
5

Following the Cloncurry River to Donors Hill

 

6-
8

Following Flinders River

 

9-
12

Camping at Camp 119, Bynoe River. Burke and Wills leave Gray and King and go on northwards with Billy the horse to try to reach the sea. They reach their most northerly point on 11 February, but are unable to traverse the mangrove swamps to get a sight of the sea. They return to Camp 119.

 

10

Supply Party reaches Torowotto Swamp

 

13

The four men start south on the return trip after taking almost 2 months to reach the Gulf. The monsoonal rains of the Wet Season had begun

 

14

Wright and the Supply part leave Torowotto for Koorliatto

 

14-21

Burke’s party followed the Flinders River south

 

22-28

Burke’s party follow the Cloncurry River south

March

1-
10

Burke’s party follow Corella Creek south

 

11-13

Burke’s party cross the Selwyn Ranges on their way south

 

14-23

The party camp at Scratchley’s Creek then follow the Burke River south

 

17

Supply Party at Poria Creek

 

24-31

Burke’s party continue south camping at Hamilton River, Kings Creek, Georgina River

 

29

Supply Party leave Rat Point

April

3

Another camel died leaving only two, insufficient to carry all Wills’ instruments. These were buried at the “Plant Camp”, Camp 46R

 

4

Supply Party reach Bulloo

 

5-
16

Burke’s party continue south, following the Diamantina River

 

17

Burke’s party camp at Polygonum Swamp. Gray dies at sunrise. Burke, Wills and King spend a day burying him

 

20

Burke’s party reach Burke’s Waterhole on Cooper Creek

 

21

DIG TREE day. Brahe and the Depot party leave in the morning. Burke’s party arrive in the evening

 

22-23

Stone and Purcell, two members of the Supply Party, die at Koorliatto Waterhole

 

24-30

Burke, Wills and King leave the Dig Tree and head south down Cooper Creek toward Mt Hopeless

 

29

Becker, one of the Supply Party, dies at Koorliatto

May

1-
16

Burke, Wills and King move slowly down Cooper Creek

 

8

After Brahe’s Depot Party reaches Wright’s Supply Party, Brahe and Wright return together to the Dig Tree, arriving on this day, but do not dig up the cache and are unaware of Burke’s return

 

13

Brahe and Wright rejoin the Supply and Depot Parties at Koorliatto

 

17-19

Burke, Wills and King leave the Cooper and start trying to cross the sandhills of the Strzelecki desert. Unable to find water, they turn back

 

20-21

Camp at Oorannie Creek and then back on Cooper Creek

 

22-31

Burke, Wills and King camp at Nardoo Camp on Cooper Creek

 

29

Wills sets out alone to return to the Dig Tree

June

1-
6

Camping at the “Nardoo Camp”

 

3

Wills returns from his trip to the Dig Tree

 

5

Another member of the Supply Party, Patten, dies at Rat Point

 

8-
28

Burke, Wills and King camp at Breerily Waterhole, awaiting rescue. The Yandruwandha aborigines, who had previously given them fish and showed them how to grind ngardu (nardoo) had moved on.

 

18

Wright and the Supply Party get back to Menindee

 

29

Burke and King leave Wills at Breerily and go in search of the Yandruwandha.

 

30

Official date for the deaths of Burke and Wills, although they probably lived a few days beyond this date

 

26-30

The Royal Society of Victoria organises a search party to be led by Alfred Howitt