Burke & Wills Web
www.burkeandwills.net.au
The online digital research archive of expedition records
© 2020

Big Country, 1979.

ABC Television, 200th Episode.

In the winter of 1977 Dr Tom Bergin with Paddy McHugh, a Pitjantjatjara elder called Nugget Gnalkenga (nicknamed Chilbi), his son who was an Arrernte man, Frankie, and ten camels retraced Burke's steps from The Dig Tree to Camp 119. Bergin aimed to prove that had Burke would have had more success if he traveled in winter rather than summer.

Only seven of the camels reached the Gulf:

  • Ginger
  • Larrikin
  • Wallaper
  • Alice
  • Paddymelon
  • Frances
  • Cleo

Bergin published a book based on the expedition.

In the steps of Burke and Wills, Thomas John Bergin and Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
1981, ABC Sydney.
139 , [20] of col. plates
ISBN 0642974136.

Across the Outback (Reader Digest Travels and Adventure Series), Thomas John Bergin and Readers Digest.
1994. Readers Digest.
ISBN 0864490194.

ABC television filmed the expedition as part of its Big Country series and The Bergin-McHugh Expedition was shown as the 200th Episode. Watch a clip from this episode here....

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Burke & Wills Web
www.burkeandwills.net.au
The digital research archive of expedition records
© 2020, Dave Phoenix