The year 1860 was an exciting time in Australia’s history. Terra Incognita was yet to be charted and the future was full of promise and adventure, as Australia’s newly formed states staked their claim in the name of progress. Melbourne was at the height of its Golden Age, gaining a reputation as one of the wealthiest and most vibrant urban centres in the world. It was against this backdrop that on August 20 of that year, Burke and Wills set out from Melbourne to travel the length of the Australian continent to the Gulf of Carpentaria. Officially named the Victorian Exploring Expedition, their venture was funded by the newly independent colony of Victoria and supported by the citizens of Melbourne and the Royal Society of Victoria. The party departed from Royal Park, in the presence of hordes of Melbourne citizens and well wishers. Among them was the Mayor of Melbourne, Dr Richard Evades, also vice-president of the Royal Society of Victoria, Melbourne’s leading think tank at the time. They could not have known the expedition would end so catastrophically.

Courageous yet ill prepared for the unforgiving Australian outback, Burke and Wills are remembered as heroic figures; men who dared to walk into the unknown. A statue erected in their memory now stands in City Square, a proud reminder of a brave dream. We welcome the commemoration of that dream with a host of special events, beginning with a reenactment of Burke and Wills’ departure from Melbourne. An annual remembrance of their journey is a chance for Melburnians to re-visit the development of our city and reflect on the sacrifices made on the way to our current destination. It’s an apt commemorative gesture for a city that today continues to evolve, guided by the values of knowledge, enterprise and optimism.

Robert Doyle
Lord Mayor, Melbourne