Two Expeditions into the Interior of Southern Australia — Volume I — John Shaqi
Two Expeditions into the Interior of Southern Australia — Volume ISturt, Charles
History
Two Expeditions into the Interior of Southern Australia — Volume I
Sturt, Charles
New South Wales -- Discovery and exploration; Sturt, Charles, 1795-1869
To the westward of the Blue Mountains, the country differs in many
respects from that lying between those ranges and the coast; and
although, its aspect varies in different places, three principal
features appear more immediately to characterise it. These are, first,
plains of considerable extent wholly destitute of timber; secondly,
open undulating woodlands; and, thirdly, barren unprofitable tracts.
The first almost invariably occur in the immediate neighbourhood of
some river, as the Plains of Bathurst, which are divided by the
Macquarie; Goulburn Plains, through which the Wallandilly flows; and
Yass Plains, which are watered by a river of the same name. The open
forests, through which the horseman may gallop in perfect safety, seem
to prevail over the whole secondary ranges of granite, and are
generally considered as excellent grazing tracts. Such is the country
in Argyleshire on either side of the Lachlan, where that river crosses
the great southern road near Mr. Hume's station; such also are many
parts of Goulburn and the whole extent of country lying between
Underaliga and the Morumbidgee River. The barren tracts, on the other
hand, may be said to occupy the central spaces between all the
principal streams. With regard to the proportion that these different
kinds of country bear to each other, there can be no doubt of the undue
preponderance of the last over the first two; but there are
nevertheless many extensive available tracts in every part of the
colony.
MEANS OF INLAND TRANSPORT.
The greatest disadvantage under which New South Wales labours, is the
want of means for conveying inland produce to the market, or to the
coast. The Blue Mountains are in this respect a serious bar to the
internal prosperity of the colony. By this time, however, a magnificent
road will have been completed across them to the westward, over parts
of which I travelled in 1831. Indeed the efforts of the colonial
government have been wisely directed, not only to the construction of
this road, which the late Governor, General Darling commenced, but also
in facilitating the communication to the southern districts, by an
almost equally fine road over the Razor Back Range, near the Cow
Pastures; so that as far as it is possible for human efforts to
overcome natural obstacles, the wisdom and foresight of the executive
have ere this been successful.
DISADVANTAGES OF DISTANT SETTLERS.
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.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account