Landsborough led the Queensland Governments search party for Burke. He sailed aboard the SS Firefly, leaving Brisbane for the Gulf on the 24 August 1861. By 15 November 1861, Landsborough was ready to leave the Gulf, his instructions being to head to Central Mount Sturt.

South-south-west of the Albert River he discovered another large stream, which he named the Gregory River after the Queensland Surveyor-General. Early in December the party found themselves on 'a finely undulating, park-like plateau ... richly clothed with the best grasses'. They named it the Barkly Tableland after Sir Henry Barkly, Governor of Victoria.

On 20 December 1861, Landsborough came to another large but almost dry water, course on an extensive blacksoil plain. He named it the Herbert River, but this was later changed to the Georgina, after the Queensland Governor's wife.

Returning past today's Camooweal, Landsborough arrived back at the Albert River on 6 February 1862. Landsborough learned that Frederick Walker had found Burke's tracks on the Flinders River. Landsborough decided to set out for the Flinders with a dual purpose: to discover further traces of the missing explorers, or if that failed, to report on pastoral country. He left the Gulf on 10 February 1862.

Late in February 1862, Landsborough came to the extensive Plains of Promise seen in 1841 by John Lort Stokes of the HMS Beagle. Fortunately, it was a dry season, and Landsborough rode across the plains.

From the Flinders River, Landsborough turned west past today's Richmond and Hughenden and then south to the Barcoo and Warrego Rivers. The route yielded him no further trace of Burke's path and only when he reached a station near today's Cunnamulla did he hear the result of Howitt's expedition.

Queensland Native Mounted Police trooper,
originally from Deniliquin.