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Robert O'Hara Burke Explorer 1820 - 1861
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You can find a large monument to Burke & Wills in the centre of Melbourne, as well as a memorial cairn in a city park commemorating the point of departure.
Memorials to Burke & Wills abound throughout Australia. As wall as their impressive grave in Melbourne General Cemetery, you will find:
A monumental bronze statue in the centre of Melbourne. This monument has been moved four times since its installation. The Streeton painting of the statue (currently hanging in the NGVA, Melbourne) shows it outside the Princess Theatre.
A memorial cairn in Royal Park commemorating their point of departure
A large memorial fountain in the main street of Ballarat
A large monument to Burke & Wills in Bendigo Cemetery
The memorial in Melbourne General Cemetery consists of a massive granite slab. Around the four sides of the base are thee following inscriptions:
IN MEMORY OF ROBERT O'HARA BURKE AND WILLIAM JOHN WILLS
LEADER AND SECOND IN COMMAND OF THE VICTORIAN EXPLORING EXPEDITION DIED AT COOPER'S CREEK JUN 1861.
COMRADES IN A GREAT ACHIEVEMENT COMPANIONS IN DEATH AND ASSOCIATES IN RENOWN
THE FIRST TO CROSS THE CONTINENT OF AUSTRALIA BURKE WILLS GRAY KING SURVIVOR.
In addition, a separate stone stands out the front with the following inscription:
VISITED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE OLD COLONISTS ASSOCIATION OF VICTORIA, 20TH AUGUST 1910 THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE STARTING OF BURKE & WILLS FROM MELBOURNE FOR COOPER'S CREEK, QUEENSLAND, 20TH AUGUST 1860
The tombstone of the sole survivor, John King, is also in Melbourne Cemetery, as is that of John Macadam - a prominent member of the Exploration Committee.
A famous painting by William Strutt hanging in the Cowen Gallery shows Robert O'Hara Burke being buried at Coopers Creek. However there is a large monument in Melbourne General Cemetery to Burke and Wills. Where are Burke and Wills really buried?
The Burke and Wills Statue in recent years has occupied several positions in or near the City Square. What was its original position (hint – try page 1 of the great murder mystery yarn Mystery of a Hansom Cab) and why was it shifted? What was its second position (hint you will find it there in a Tom Roberts painting) and why was it shifted again after that?
The monument in Melbourne General Cemetery names William John Wills as the Second in Command of the expedition. Was that his position when the expedition left Melbourne?
To find the answers to questions like these ask a White Hat
Accredited Guide or subscribe to our free
newsletter where similar questions and answers are provided each
week. For a sample of previous questions see
The White Hat Quiz.
Burke Museum
This museum was founded in 1863 to celebrate the life of
Robert O'Hara Burke who had been
Superintendent of Police there. Entry fees apply.
In 1860, an eccentric Irish police officer named Robert O'Hara Burke set out from Melbourne at the head of the most lavish expedition of his age. Accompanied by William Wills, a shy English scientist, he was prepared to risk everything to become the first European to cross the Australian continent. Meanwhile, John McDouall Stuart, a dour Scotsman, was already trekking north from Adelaide. The race was on.
Sarah Murgatroyd's spell-binding book, which reveals new historical and scientific evidence, tells the full story of the disaster with all its heroism and romance, its discoveries, coincidences and lost opportunities. Generously illustrated with photographs, paintings and maps, The Dig Tree is a compelling account of one of the world's great adventure tragedies.
Qantas In Flight Magazine chooses
White Hat
Cemetery Tour as its featured Australian tour for May
There are many fine historical tours
throughout Australia including cemetery tours. From these, the
prestigious Qantas In Flight Magazine has chosen the White Hat Tour
of Melbourne Cemetery as its featured Australian tour for the May
2007 edition. This tour was also featured by ABC radio on 24 May and
will feature in a documentary series on Burke and Wills to be shown
on European television in 2008. The tour has been operating for many years and has won
praise from a wide range of sources. This is not a dry and stuffy
tour but in keeping with all White Hat offerings it is Informed,
Intelligent, Independent (and occasionally) Irreverent. You can find
details of the tour atWhite
Hat Tour of Melbourne Cemetery and view the article at
Qantas In Flight Magazine.
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This site designed and maintained by Black
Box Company
Comments to Webmaster:
Please ensure that you quote the URL of the page to which you are referring.
webmaster@whitehat.com.au