Australian expedition

This is in the middle of Australia not far from where my husband worked at Santos, and a few km's! from the famous "dig tree" where they found Burkes body in 1861 after crossing the entire continent north to south. Only one man, John King survived the expedition.

This is the Dig Tree on the Coopers Creek, where on April 21st the main expedition left only 9 hours prior to the arrival of Bourke, Wills and King. That was 150 years ago.

The Dig Tree, although it is located outside the Reserve just over the border in Queensland, was the location of the base camp, where Burke, Wills and King returned from the north to find that the search party for them had just left in the morning of the day of their arrival. All the search party had left for them, were some burried supplies near the tree and a carved message in the Dig Tree. The carved message told them, where they should dig to find the supplies, hence the name Dig Tree. For more information about the Innamincka and the Burke and Wills expedition click here.

The Face Tree (near the Dig Tree) with the face of Robert O'Hara Burke carved out In 1898 by John Dick, Nappa Merrie Station, Outback Queensland, Australia .
This is harsh country, its hot +40c and dry, with little to survive on, no wonder they perished.