and welcome to Burke & Wills Web, an historical research resource

The Burke & Wills Expedition was originally called the Victorian Exploring Expedition. It was formed in 1860 in Melbourne, the capital city of the colony of Victoria with the aim of crossing the continent of Australia from Melbourne on the south coast to the north coast, which at the time was uninhabited by the migaloo (white-fella). No one had done this before, and to the Victorian colonists the centre of the continent was unknown, unmapped and unexplored.

The expedition was organised by the Royal Society of Victoria and it became the first to cross the continent. Three men traveled 5,000 kilometres from Melbourne to the shores of the Gulf of Carpentaria and then back to the Depôt Camp at Cooper Creek. Seven men died in the attempt, including the leader, Robert O'Hara Burke and the third in command William John Wills. Only one man, John King, survived to return to Melbourne.

The Exploration Committee compiled the records of the Expedition and wrote to the Premier of Victoria:

But Macadam's wishes were not fulfilled. Many of the records were lost and the surviving ones have become overshadowed by the huge amount of popular literature that has been published. Burke & Wills Web aims to realise Macadam's dream and provide access to the primary archival sources - that 'accumulated mass of valuable geographical information.' This web space is an historical research resource for those interested in the Burke & Wills expedition and the exploration of Australia.

Terms of Use

There is a Help File with an overview of the Expedition with links which might assist you. Please read the Disclaimer and Privacy Statement before proceeding. Burke & Wills Web is an independently operated historical research resource, designed, maintained and funded by Dave Phoenix; an historian and PhD research student at James Cook University who walked 3,750 kilometres from Melbourne to the Gulf of Carpentaria following the expedition's track. Dave is also President of the Burke & Wills Historical Society.

Indigenous Culture

Burke & Wills Web acknowledges that a rich indigenous culture existed across many different Aboriginal nations before the European settlement of this great southern land. References to 'discovery' and 'new territory' etc. which are contained in the archives on this web-space were written from a nineteenth century Eurocentric perspective. Burke & Wills Web apologises for the use of any terminology considered derogatory to indigenous people which has been reproduced from historical documents. Please read the Reconciliation Statement regarding the impacts of European exploration on indigenous culture.