Edward John Eyre
Born in England, Eyre migrated to New South Wales in 1833. After taking up land on the Molonglo Plains, he began a series of droving trips and in 1833 made the first voyage overland crossing from Sydney to Adelaide. He made the crossing again in 1839 with a large number of sheep and cattle and settled in South Australia. Over the next few years he made several expeditions to find new grazing land and open up new routes. On the first he explored the Flinders Ranges and discovered Lake Torrens. On the second he explored part of what is now known as the Eyre Peninsula.
His third expedition began in 1840; he went north again, reaching and naming Mounts Deception and Hopeless. After his return to Adelaide, Eyre was appointed magistrate and protector of Aborigines in Moorundie. In 1845 he went to England and published his 'Journals of Expeditions of Discovery into Central' Australia and Overland from Adelaide to King George's Sound in the Years 1840-1 which contained more sympathetic descriptions of Aborigines than those given by most contemporary European observers.
His third expedition began in 1840; he went north again, reaching and naming Mounts Deception and Hopeless. After his return to Adelaide, Eyre was appointed magistrate and protector of Aborigines in Moorundie. In 1845 he went to England and published his 'Journals of Expeditions of Discovery into Central' Australia and Overland from Adelaide to King George's Sound in the Years 1840-1 which contained more sympathetic descriptions of Aborigines than those given by most contemporary European observers.
Keywords: Eyre, Edward John, land boundaries, land ownership, rations, reserves, 1833-1845
Websters Encyclopedia of Australia, Webster Publishing 1996.
Author: Rowse, Tim and Graham, Trevor
Author: Rowse, Tim and Graham, Trevor