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| title | chunk | source | category | tags | date_saved | instance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burke and Wills Plant Camp | 3/4 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burke_and_Wills_Plant_Camp | reference | science, encyclopedia | 2026-05-05T12:39:54.094348+00:00 | kb-cron |
After surviving on ground nardoo, which was slowly poisoning them due to their lack of expertise in its preparation in leaching out the toxins, Wills died alone on the banks of Cooper's Creek on 27 or 28 June. He had insisted that his companions head further down the creek to seek assistance from the Aborigines. A day or two later, Burke also succumbed, having sent King on to look for help. With the assistance of Aborigines, King survived along the watercourse until found on 15 September 1861 by Alfred William Howitt's search party. When it became known that the well-publicised Burke and Wills expedition had foundered, a number of search parties were quickly organised. Howitt left from Melbourne, John McKinlay from Adelaide, Frederick Walker from Rockhampton, and William Landsborough from Brisbane. Howitt's party, which included Brahe and King, arrived at Camp LXV on 13 September 1861. The Royal Commission was told that they found the depot as Mr Brahe had left it, the plant untouched, and nothing removed of the useless things lying about, but a piece of leather. The party located Wills' remains where his body had been covered by King, some miles downstream of Camp LXV. They buried Wills on 18 September 1861, and inscribed a tree. Field books, notebooks and various small articles were recovered. Three days later and approximately 7 miles (11 km) away, Howitt found Burke's remains near Innamincka Waterhole, 2 miles (3.2 km) north of Innamincka) in South Australia. Burke was buried wrapped in a Union Jack, under a box tree on the south-eastern bank of Cooper's Creek. Howitt blazed this tree at the head of Burke's grave. The Royal Geographical Society, organised to promote exploration, awarded Burke a posthumous RGS Founder's Medal in 1862. Wills was awarded nothing, as the Society's policy was to award only one medal to an exploration party. King received a gold watch, as did McKinlay, Landsborough and Walker for leading their various search parties. These search parties helped open up vast areas of inland Australia for settlement, as a result of the increased knowledge of the country they brought back with them. A Commission of Enquiry was organised to investigate the circumstances surrounding the deaths of Burke and Wills. The enquiry was held in Melbourne in November and December 1861. The commissioners interviewed thirteen people connected to the expedition, including the only survivor John King, and examined a range of evidence including Wills' journal. The findings of the enquiry were published in a report released at the end of January 1862. While critical of Brahe's decision to leave the depot camp before he was rejoined by Burke, Wills and King, the commission reported that many of the calamities that befell the expedition might have been averted, including their deaths, if expedition leader Burke kept a regular journal and gave written orders to his men. In 2010, a student of the University of Queensland, Nick Hadnutt, published his PhD thesis which undertook a detailed analysis of artefacts found at the site when compared with the known dates of the expedition using primary and secondary sources to confirm the authenticity of the site. The thesis concluded that the site was indeed Burke and Wills Camp 46R.