The Explorers Podcast

The Burke and Wills Expedition - Part 6 - The Return

Listen Later

In part 6 of our series, Robert Burke and his comrades begin their journey from the northern coast of Australia to the depot at Cooper's Creek. They are low on supplies and their health is waning. Meanwhile, William Wright struggles to get the needed supplies to depot, where the health of William Brahe and his men is deteriorating.

People and Places

  • Robert O’Hara Burke – Leader of the Victorian Exploring Expedition (VEE)
  • William Wills – British surveyor and astronomer. 2nd-in-command of the expedition.
  • Victoria Exploring Expedition (VEE) – The official name of the expedition led by Robert Burke to cross the Australian continent.
  • Hermann Beckler - German doctor and botanist.
  • Ludwig Becker - German geologist and naturalist.
  • William Wright - Bushman who joined the VEE at Menindee. Now leading the relief column to Cooper's Creek.
  • John King - 22-year old ex-soldier. Selected by Burke to be part of the contingent going to the north coast.
  • Thomas McDonough - VEE member who accompanied Burke and Wills to Cooper's Creek.
  • Charley Gray - VEE member who was selected to go with Burke and Wills to the north coast of Australia. 
  • Cooper’s Creek – River in central Australia. It is about halfway across the continent if someone is traveling between Melbourne and Gulf of Carpentaria in the north. About 750 miles from Melbourne.
  • Menindee - Most northerly outpost on the route of the VEE in their trek across Australia. About 400 miles from Melbourne.
  • Gulf of Carpentaria - The most direct route from Victoria to the northern coast of Australia - roughly a 1500 mile journey across the continent.


    • Resources and links: https://explorerspodcast.com/

    Map: https://explorerspodcast.files.wordpress.com/2020/06/burke_and_wills_map.png

    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    ...more
    View all episodesView all episodes
    Download on the App Store
    The Explorers PodcastBy Matt Breen
    • 4.9
    • 4.9
    • 4.9
    • 4.9
    • 4.9

    4.9

    1,403 ratings

    More shows like The Explorers Podcast

    View all
    My History Can Beat Up Your Politics by Bruce Carlson

    My History Can Beat Up Your Politics

    1,130 Listeners

    The History of WWII Podcast by Ray Harris Jr

    The History of WWII Podcast

    3,956 Listeners

    The Ancient World by Scott C.

    The Ancient World

    1,800 Listeners

    The History of Egypt Podcast by Dominic Perry

    The History of Egypt Podcast

    1,843 Listeners

    The History of China by Chris Stewart

    The History of China

    1,079 Listeners

    1001 Heroes, Legends, Histories & Mysteries Podcast by Jon Hagadorn Podcast Host

    1001 Heroes, Legends, Histories & Mysteries Podcast

    1,674 Listeners

    The WW2 Podcast by Angus Wallace

    The WW2 Podcast

    1,194 Listeners

    Dan Snow's History Hit by History Hit

    Dan Snow's History Hit

    4,598 Listeners

    The Pirate History Podcast by Matt Albers

    The Pirate History Podcast

    1,532 Listeners

    Historical Blindness by Nathaniel Lloyd

    Historical Blindness

    820 Listeners

    Queens Podcast by Queens Podcast

    Queens Podcast

    1,364 Listeners

    History Unplugged Podcast by History Unplugged

    History Unplugged Podcast

    3,975 Listeners

    Tides of History by Wondery / Patrick Wyman

    Tides of History

    6,264 Listeners

    History That Doesn't Suck by Prof. Greg Jackson

    History That Doesn't Suck

    5,584 Listeners

    Ancient History Fangirl by Jenny Williamson and Genn McMenemy

    Ancient History Fangirl

    426 Listeners

    Dressed: The History of Fashion by Dressed Media

    Dressed: The History of Fashion

    1,498 Listeners

    The Box of Oddities by Kat & Jethro Gilligan Toth

    The Box of Oddities

    2,866 Listeners

    American Revolution Podcast by Michael Troy

    American Revolution Podcast

    938 Listeners

    Pax Britannica: A History of the British Empire by Samuel Hume

    Pax Britannica: A History of the British Empire

    358 Listeners

    Plodding Through The Presidents by Howard & Jessica Dorre

    Plodding Through The Presidents

    341 Listeners

    History of the Second World War by Wesley Livesay

    History of the Second World War

    548 Listeners

    The Ancients by History Hit

    The Ancients

    2,846 Listeners

    Key Battles of American History by Key Battles of American History

    Key Battles of American History

    888 Listeners

    Short History Of... by NOISER

    Short History Of...

    2,503 Listeners

    Art of History by Amanda Matta

    Art of History

    298 Listeners

    History of Everything by Stakuyi

    History of Everything

    663 Listeners

    Art of History by Amanda Matta

    Art of History

    298 Listeners

    American History Hit by History Hit

    American History Hit

    1,340 Listeners

    Face-Off: The U.S. vs China by Airwave Media

    Face-Off: The U.S. vs China

    168 Listeners

    The American Miracle with Michael Medved by Michael Medved

    The American Miracle with Michael Medved

    39 Listeners

    History Dispatches by Matt and McKinley Breen

    History Dispatches

    28 Listeners