Three Expeditions into the Interior of Eastern Australia, Volume 1: With Descriptions of the Recently Explored Region of Australia Felix, and of the Present Colony of New South WalesMitchell, T. L. (Thomas Livingstone)
History
Three Expeditions into the Interior of Eastern Australia, Volume 1: With Descriptions of the Recently Explored Region of Australia Felix, and of the Present Colony of New South Wales
Mitchell, T. L. (Thomas Livingstone)
Australia -- Discovery and exploration; Mitchell, T. L. (Thomas Livingstone), 1792-1855
The road beyond Solitary creek winds around the side of Honeysuckle Hill,
a summit of considerable elevation, consisting of trap-rock. The country
beyond that hill is more open and favourable for road-making. An inn has
been built on a small flat, distant about twenty-three miles from Mount
Victoria, and about halfway between that pass and Bathurst.
STONY RANGE.
The only remarkable feature on the remainder of this line is Stony Range,
distant from Bathurst fourteen miles. It is a ridge of high ground which
traverses the country from north to south and terminates on the Fish
river. The road crosses it at the very lowest part, and where the rock
consists of a dark grey felspar with grains of quartz. The soil is red
and rich, and bears trees of uncommon magnitude. The timber is found
useful by the inhabitants of the Bathurst district, who keep the sawyers
constantly at work there.
PLAINS OF BATHURST.
From Stony Range the plains of Bathurst appear in the distance to great
advantage; the eye of the traveller from Sydney having long sought, in
vain, for some relief from the prospect of so much waste mountainous
country.
THE TOWN.
We reached the open plains of Bathurst, six miles from the settlement. I
arrived early at Mrs. Dillon's inn, where I took up my quarters, in order
that I might complete, with less interruption, a report which I was
instructed to make to the Governor from this place, respecting the state
of the works along the road.
April 3.
My friend Rankin called and insisted on my accompanying him to his
residence at Saltram, which I accordingly did. The houses of the
inhabitants here are scattered over the extensive open country, and give
a most cheerful appearance to the plains of Bathurst. These fine downs
only a few years before must have been as desolate as those of a similar
character still are on the banks of the Namoi and Karaula. Peace and
plenty now smile on the banks of Wambool,* and British enterprise and
industry may produce in time a similar change on the desolate banks of
the Namoi, Gwydir, and Karaula, and throughout those extensive regions
behind the Coast range, still further northward--all as yet unpeopled,
save by the wandering aborigines, who may then, as at Bathurst now, enjoy
that security and protection to which they have so just a claim.
(*Footnote. Native name for the river Macquarie.)
INCONVENIENCE OF WANT OF ARRANGEMENT IN EARLY COLONIZATION.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account