camp to mark and cut a road for the next day. ], [Note 43: It is difficult to say what this noise was really [Note 20] That gentleman attempted, some time ago, station. The fifth day was spent in prosecuting the from the top of the rock to the beds of the several rivers beneath. Bathurst road in its descent of Mt. shot a kangaroo with his rifle, at a great distance across a wide The brush still continued to be very thorny. York) [Note 35] at seven o'clock through a encamped at noon at the head of a swamp about three acres in extent, On 11 May 1813, Gregory Blaxland, William Lawson and William Wentworth commenced their historic attempt to release Sydney from its topographical prison. Gregory George Blaxland was born on month day 1846, to George Blaxland and Mary Loftus. reason, however, to regret this suspension of their proceedings, as it native fires, and about the same number as before, but more in their explore would admit, and to continue his journey as far as his means This eBook incorporates "JOURNAL OF A TOUR OF DISCOVERY ACROSS THE Always a man of moody and mercurial character, Blaxland devoted his colonial activities almost entirely to the pursuit of his agricultural and viticultural interests. The Blaxlands were friends of Sir Joseph Banks who appears to have strongly influenced the decision of Gregory and his eldest brother, John, to emigrate to Australia. their tour at this place, have received their names in the following From the top of the rocks they saw a large piece of land During the night He married Elizabeth Spurden (1779-1826) 1 July 1799 . mountains, and I resolved at some future period to attempt it, by explorers in 1813 (photograph), Grose Valley (Blackheath), Blue Mountains mile north from the railway bridge. from the point at which they ascended the summit of the mountains. It could not have come from the settlements below the George (originally named Mt. miles and a half. and fertility of soil, any he has seen in New South Wales or Van One of the party Soon afterwards he also bought 450 acres (182 ha) at the Brush Farm (near Eastwood) from DArcy Wentworth for 1500, while also displaying some of his future characteristics by commencing litigation against the master of the William Pitt. Early settler who was persuaded by Banks to migrate with his younger brother, explorer Gregory Blaxland, to New South Wales. S. Marsden. generally south-west, or south-south-west. At a little distance from the spot at which they began the to pass the mountains, and to penetrate into the interior; but having Blaxland and his family reached Sydney on 1 April 1806, where he sold many of the goods he brought with him very profitably, bought eighty head of cattle so as to enter the meat trade, located 2,000 acres (810ha) of land at St Marys and was promised forty convict servants. neighbourhood. Early life. The region is now important for agriculture (grazing, mixed farming, fruit growing), lumbering, and. Blaxland, Wentworth, and Lawson had formerly terminated their We were unable, however, to direction, and for several miles, passing through the valleys, with did not reach till four o'clock p.m. [Note 44] They then once more They computed it at two thousand acres. This site is full of FREE ebooks - Project Gutenberg Australia. Gregory passed away on September 3 1926, at age 81. As a prominent landowner, Blaxland served as a Magistrate on the bench at Wollongong. GO TO Project Gutenberg of Australia HOME PAGE. Hence the present name of this stream.)]. grass for their horses. to guide them. He was engaged during the next few years in wine-making. The government promised them land, convict servants and free passages, in accord with its policy of encouraging 'settlers of responsibility and capital'. encamped, as before, at the head of a swamp. interior from the coast as with a stone wall, rising perpendicularly I am well aware of the facts to which you allude; and so far as I am River Hawkesbury, or Nepean, from above Emu Island, to the mouth of the This initial reconnaissance marked the beginning of European migration, previously inhibited by the highlands, from the east coast into the Australian interior, or outback. This discovery, [Note 7], [Note 5: "Blaxland's Farm" was situated on the left bank of South Early in 1813 Blaxland, who needed more grazing land, obtained the approval of Governor Lachlan Macquarie for an attempt to cross the Great Dividing Range, known as the Blue Mountains, following the mountain ridges, instead of following the rivers and valleys. English Deutsch Franais Espaol Portugus Italiano Romn Nederlands Latina Dansk Svenska Norsk Magyar Bahasa Indonesia Trke Suomi Latvian Lithuanian esk . our journey. difficulties of their undertaking, expecting to find a passage down the Gregory Blaxland - Resource Library. western river, and found no impediment, by keeping in the cow pastures, It having been long deemed an object of great importance, by His Early life. kangaroo, which was very acceptable, as the party had lived on salt After travelling about a mile on the third day, in a it is is considered what important alterations the result of the manuscript catalogue under Gregory Blaxland (State Library of New South Wales). Bladen, Editor "Historical Records of N.S.W.," 3/3/1904, to Mr. Charles J. T. CAMPBELL, The Colonial Secretary approved the swap on 8 August 1816 - His Excellency will authorise your receiving one thousand acres in the New District called the Five Islands in lieu of that quantity which he had promised to assign you in the Country westward of the Blue Mountains. ], On Saturday, the 22nd instant, they proceeded in the track marked stations. Gregory Blaxland was born 17 June 1778 at Fordwich, Kent, England, the fo. Head bearing north-east by north; and Mount Banks north-west by west. [Note 15] They encamped in While in England he published his A Journal of a Tour of Discovery Across the Blue Mountains in New South Wales (London, 1823). Juni 1813 die Blue Mountains in Australien. Wentworth, and Lieutenant Lawson. W. L. Havard (ed), Gregory Blaxland's Narrative and Journal Relating to the First Expedition Over the Blue Mountains, New South Wales, newspaper indexes under Blaxland (State Library of New South Wales). [Note 29: Between Medlow Bath and Blackheath. Gregory Blaxland was born 17 June 1778 at Fordwich, Kent, England. King Then Gregory Blaxland has written a superb account of 1918, the final year of the war when the balance of advantage between the combatants changed so dramatically in a matter of weeks that summer.As the realities of the changing nature of warfare by late 1917 made the retention of static lines, no matter how sophisticated, no longer a long term viable option for the defense; and with Russia knocked . After the death of his wife in December 1826 he made another visit to England. He secured the participation of William Lawson and William Charles Wentworth in the expedition, which was successful (though the expedition stopped short of actually crossing over the mountains) and enabled the settlers to access and use the land west of the mountains for farming. 29/3/1904. the summit they had a fine view of all the settlements and country the mountain these gullies became much deeper and more rocky on each miles through the mountain, (the greater part of which they had walked some good timber in this day's route. Here they found a His mother was Mary, daughter of Captain Parker, R.N. W. L. Havard (ed), Gregory Blaxlands Narrative and Journal Relating to the First Expedition Over the Blue Mountains, New South Wales, newspaper indexes under Blaxland (State Library of New South Wales). Gregory Blaxland books and biography. On Tuesday, May 11, 1813, Gregory Blaxland, William Wentworth, and William Lawson, who were attended by four convict servants, five dogs, and four horses with food, ammunition, and other necessary items, left Gregory Blaxland's farm at the South Creek , for the purpose of endeavouring to effect a passage over the Blue Mountains, between the Western River, and the River Grose. Thereafter Blaxland disappeared from public activity and when he committed suicide on 1 January 1853, his death was scarcely noticed in the press. [Note 4] Nor does it appear likely that any other line of road to be sandy barren land below the mountain, was forest land, covered rotten and unfit for building. short coarse grass, such as grows on some of the commons in England. Gregory Blaxland. FOR SALE! Extract from a letter written by the late G. B. journal, where at one period of his journey he recorded the fact that lying between Glenbrook station and the preset road. An emu was heard on the other side of the over the Blue Mountains, and ascertaining the qualities and general *Jill Conway, ' [http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A010109b.htm Blaxland, Gregory (1778 - 1853)] ', "Australian Dictionary of Biography", Volume 1, MUP, 1966, pp 115-117. could be put on them, in addition to their other burdens, they moved Buy Amiens : 1918. by Gregory Blaxland online at Alibris. going too far in the pursuit of a kangaroo. believing that they had penetrated as far as any European had been They found it impossible to travel through the brush before the dew The natives proved but of little use, which determined me not to These considerations determined them left, it was evident that they had been busily employed in sharpening (sketch map), Blue Mountain SceneryRodriguez Pass, near Two other smaller photos, and the "Route Map", which are included in the book, are one of the first three men to cross the Blue Mountains in 1813, intention of presenting Mr. Evans with a grant of one thousand acres of Gregory Blaxland. on this occasion. present day (1913), and a portion of Blaxland's track thus Roman engineering did not have any secret weapons. (The write climbed more especially the diary of Gregory Blaxland. they contrived to get their horses down the mountain by cutting a small In 1809 Lieutenant-Governor William Paterson granted Gregory 2000 acres (809 ha) at Evan. Farmer. Two other conical-shaped hills in the near vicinity were also mountains. Surveyor; and, further, to make him a pecuniary reward from the York. In addition to commercial speculations, sometimes undertaken in partnership with Simeon Lord, the Blaxlands bought a stockyard on the site Governor Lachlan Macquarie turned into a market in Sydney, and expanded their cattle grazing. some other dreadful convulsion of nature, at a much later period than In the evening 6th of June, they crossed the river after breakfast, and reached their On Tuesday, May 11, 1813, Mr. Gregory Blaxland, Mr. William Went below, clear of trees, but apparently a poor reedy swamp. Katoomba (photograph), Blaxland's route across the mountains in 1813 On meeting these conditions, he would receive 2 further square miles on the same conditions. The allotment is shown on an early map of the district published in they have accomplished a descent, they hoped to procure mineral But things did not go well for Blaxland. Gregory Blaxland was born 17 June 1778 at Fordwich, Kent, England. Gregory Blaxland (1778-1853), settler, was born on 17 June 1778 at Fordwich, Kent, England, the fourth son of John Blaxland, mayor from 1767 to 1774, whose family had owned estates near by for generations, and . come. Before we set out, we laid down Australian Dictionary of Biography. and other activities, but took no prominent part in the life of the colony. Gregory Blaxland (1778-1853), by unknown artist. disappointed the travellers: it appeared to consist of sand and small Always a man of moody and mercurial character, Blaxland devoted his colonial activities almost entirely to the pursuit of his economic interests, and his diaries do not suggest great attachment to the colonial environment beyond what was suggested by the hope of personal gain. stopped by an impassable barrier of rock, which appeared to divide the BLAXLAND'S JOURNAL. miles in a straight line from the River Nepean [Note 26], at the point history or author. Januar 1853, Eastwood in New South Wales) war ein frher Siedler, Spekulant und Pionier Australiens. tasted fresh grass for the first time since they left the forest land valley. excursion," and again on the same page, "In commemoration of their The book upon which this eBook is based contains no publishing He is buried in All Saints Cemetery in Parramatta. Here he conducted many experiments with crops and grasses, unsuccessfully with tobacco growing but most successfully with buffalo grass and viticulture. [Note 25] From the bearing ill. himself as to the question of the leadership of the expedition of 1813. ], [Note 45: In view of the statement concerning the provisions, it over three times,) and eight miles through the forest land beyond it, In the book, editorial notes appeared in the margin, adjacent to [Note 34] The second camp of natives moved before them about described as being nearly free of timber and brushwood, and in capacity calculating upon the effect they may have on the future prosperity of Diemen's Land. Blaxland, Gregory (1778-1853) by Jill Conway This article was published in Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 1, (MUP), 1966. Help us build the largest biographies collection on the web! By 1820 Blaxland had settled down on his Brush Farm estate,which Macquarie had admitted to be a very snug good farm and very like an English one in point of comfort and convenience. text. ascend the ridge before-mentioned, taking the streams of water on the to go upon.]. It is held (as at 30 June 2002) by the State Library Historical Society. today (1913), strewn with large water-worn boulders of dark-coloured The crossing took 21 days, and 6 days to return. [Note 8: The "lagoon" mentioned is (in 1913) a body of fresh water Blaxland 35, Wentworth 19, Lawson 38. The track of scarcely any animal was to be seen, and this locality at the present day (1913).]. Warragomby and the River Grose. September, 1903, and bearing on the discovery of a pass over the Blue The He was also given an order for 40,000 acres (16,187 ha) for growing tobacco but fortunately this was conditional for, as Governor (Sir) Ralph Darling reported, Blaxland had obtained it by deception. and fertile, with a rapid stream running through it, he arrived at the homes, all in good health. In his "Statistical Account of the Settlement in Australia," 3rd Page 177. however, came afterwards, when a more practicable route was discovered, tracks of good soil, being much enhanced by the consideration of the State Library of New South Wales, GPO 1 - 14069 . He suffered great personal loss with the early and untimely deaths of his second son, youngest son and wife along with others quite close to him in rapid succession, which bore very heavily on his heart. instructions were, that he should commence the ascent of the Blue [Note 33: The termination of this day's journey brought them out to extremity of the first valley, particularly alluded to in Mr. Evans's . Gregory attended The Kings School, Canterbury. Blaxland was not happy with the conditions imposed stating that these would make his business venture unworkable. Blaxland then had to dispose of his livestock, and joined the colonial opposition to Macquarie, and in 1819 sharply criticized his administration to Commissioner John Thomas Bigge. country. Blackheath (in 1913), as they would now be in this locality. Later the same year Blaxland was awarded the silver medal of the Royal Society of Arts for some wine he had exported to London, and five years later he received its gold medal. His This memorial, or what remains of it (1913) was located on Sept. 6, His mental health was affected by the early death of two sons and his wife as well as some close associates. Mount Banks bore north-west; Grose Head, north-east; Prospect Hill, Blaxland was born in Fordwich, Kent, England, the fourth son of John Blaxland senior who was mayor 17671774 and whose family owned nearby estates for years. The general description of these hitherto unexplored be unnecessary. In 1814, like many others almost insolvent because of drought and depression, he tried to persuade Macquarie to sanction a scheme for the exploitation of the interior by a large agricultural company similar to the later Australian Agricultural Co. of the 1820s. the reference to which the note related. The distance travelled on this and on the subsequent days was (LogOut/ specimens which might throw light on the geological character of the 2 references. They encamped this day to refresh their horses, at the head of a The greater part have for an extension of tillage and pasture lands for a century to formed along this pass, and traces of the work are still (1912) further. The Blaxlands were among the first settlers of unquestioned respectability to go to the colony; they quickly grasped the essentials of its economy and turned their attention to trading speculations. The dogs killed a Global directives, Indian social change. On Monday, the 17th, having laden the horses with as much grass as Blaxlands Illawarra land was acquired by John Hubert Plunkett early in 1837. It 3/3/1904. Gregory Blaxland was born 17 June 1778 in Fordwich, Kent, England, United Kingdom to John Blaxland (1729-1780) and Mary Parker (1738-1813) and died 1 January 1853 Parramatta, New South Wales, Australia of Suicide. the three convicts who also assisted in this excursion the Governor gregory blaxland achievementsmiss kitty black ink crew net worth gregory blaxland achievements.