20 August 2010

Totnes is the birthplace of William John Wills, the navigator of the Burke and Wills Expedition. The Totnes Town Council prepared a commemorative program to honour the key role played by their "son of Totnes".

The program began on 20 August 2010 with the ceremonial raising of an Australian Flag presented by the Royal Society of Victoria and the unveiling of a commemorative plaque on the Wills Memorial, followed by a Civic Dinner the evening, all attended by the Australian High Commissioner.

The Council is also planning an extensive community and schools program, including a display in the Guildhall.

Totnes picures, left to right: Plaque donated by the State of Victoria in 1961 to mark the centenary of Wills' death, Wills Memorial, close up of the inscription on the Memorial.

Galway City events

The Royal Society of Victoria supported the Galway Town Council in their development of a program to honour "son of Galway" Robert O'Hara Burke, leader of the Expedition.

20 August 2010: Commemoration Ceremony

The Australian Ambassador to Eire visited Galway on 20 August. Ceremonies began with the raising of the Australian Flag by the Mayor outside City Hall at 12pm, followed by a reception in the Council Chambers. At the reception the Council presented the Ambassador with “The Shimmering Waste” – the life and times of Robert O’Hara Burke, a book by William Henry, a local historian.

From there the official party went to St Nicholas' church to unveil a plaque commemorating Burke's baptism, then to to Dominick Street to view a plaque marking the area where Burke spent his young days, and finally on a city tour including the Library, Museum, and Charlie Byrne's bookshop.

28 August 2010: Film screening

The 1985 film Burke and Wills, starring Greta Scacchi and Nigel Havers, was screened in the Town Hall.

City Museum

The City Museum is holding a number of lectures/talks, the first of which will be in August.

City Library

The City Library is arranging a window exhibition of Australian books and a local bookshop "Charlie Byrnes" will hold a similar exhibition.

Science and Technology Festival, November 2010

Two schools, one each from the city and the county will undertake a project on the Burke & Wills expedition.  These projects will be displayed as part of the Festival in November 2010 in National University of Ireland Galway (NUIG).

Burke Family Home

Anyone contemplating a visit to the Burke family home in St. Cleran’s should note that it has been vacant for a number of years and is currently for sale, and unfortunately is not readily accessible.

21 August 2010: Commemoration Events for John King

Dungannon and South Tyrone Council hosted an event to commemorate John King, who came from Moy. They held a civic reception at the Ryandale Hotel in Moy on the afternoon of 21 August 2010 from 3pm until 5pm, with addresses by the Australian Ambassador, the Mayor, the Chair of O’Neill Country Historical Society, and concluding with official opening of an exhibition at the Exhibition Centre.

The following is a report from an attendee of this event:

"We were very lucky to have a visit from international musician Steve Cooney (Melbourne) to the John King commemoration at the Moy, Co Tyrone last weekend. Steve explained a little about aboriginal culture in Australia, how and why the aboriginal people would have decided to t...ake John King under their protection, care for him and return him to his own people. Then he played this! Electrifying!"

You can also see photographs taken at the event. Here in Australia, we are amazed how green Irish gumleaves are!

Commemoration in Beckler's town

Dr Herman Beckler, Medical Director and Botanist on the Burke and Wills Expedition, returned to Germany and served as the Medical Practitioner in the town of Bad Hindelang for almost 35 years. He died in 1914, the last surviving member of the Expedition. As a tribute to Beckler, the Town Council is commemorating the 150th Anniversary of the Expedition with a flag-raising ceremony on 2 October 2010.