Bernard Cronin, author & journalist

The western areas of the colony, on the other hand, were easily accessible. It was natural, therefore, that the earlier explorers should turn to the west instead of the east. Two names readily occur in the discovery of Gippsland, Angus McMillan and Count Strzelecki. Both penetrated Gippsland at about the same time, but along different lines of attack. All things considered, the principal merit of determining the fertile areas of the region must be given to McMillan. Whereas Strzelecki, in the course of his explorations, was moved by considerations of science, McMillan had but one objective, the discovery of pastoral and agricultural areas upon a scale to warrant permanent settlement.

Angus McMillan was born in Skye in 1810, and reached Sydney on January 23, 1838. After various small adventurings, he found employment with Captain Lachlan Macalister on his station property in the Monaro country of New South Wales. In those early days, even more so than now, the settler was forced to wage continual combat against drought, flood, and fire. As a result of these contingencies the station hands often failed to support their live stock. It then became essential to find unspoiled country where sheep and cattle might subsist until such time as the depleted areas recovered.

Recollections of Home

EARLY, in 1839 McMillan was dispatched by Captain Macalister upon one of these periodic quests to the unknown country to the south of Monaro. The hardy Scot set out from Currawong, on the Snowy River, on May 28, and explored the course of the river almost as far as Buchan. He was then forced by adverse conditions to turn towards Omeo. He found the district already in occupation. Disgusted, but quite undaunted, he struck out for the valley of the Tambo. Here he established a squattage. He had all the poetic fervour of his race. When, for the first time, he surveyed the vast, fertile plains, which hitherto had remained hidden behind the barrier of the hills, he was moved to write: "The prospect before me was beautifully grand, bringing kindly to my recollection my native home, or the land, of the mountain and the flood . . . when it struck me that the most appropriate name for it was Caledonia Australis."

Turn now to the activities of Sir Paul Edmund de Strzelecki, better known as Count de Strzelecki. This hardy and energetic Pole was born in Polish Prussia in 1796. On completing his education at Heidelberg and Edinburgh *) he embarked upon a course of travel which extended for 12 years. In the course of this time he visited the Americas, the West Indies, the South Sea Islands, Australia, New Zealand, Tasmania, the Javanese Islands, China, the East Indies, and Egypt. He arrived in Sydney in 1838, **) and at once began an extensive geo- logical survey of the mountains and foothills in the vicinity. He found gold in several quarters. He might possibly, have earned additional fame as the pioneer of the gold mining industry of Australia, at the same time accumulating wealth, had it not been that he yielded generously to the persuasions of Governor Gipps, who feared that any announcement of gold discovery in New South Wales would subvert discipline among the convicts in Australia.

How scrupulously Strzelecki observed his promise is evident in the fact that when, in 1845, he published in London, his "Physical Description of New South Wales and Van Diemen's Land," he omitted even the smallest reference to his find. It is curious to speculate upon the course of events had Strzelecki made his discovery known. It is true that his was not the first discovery, nor the only one of that period. As early at 1837, it is said, an assigned servant found gold in the neighbourhood of Bathurst. The weight of Strzelecki's standing in the community must surely have overcome scepticism which alone would appear to have vanquished the claims advanced from time to time, by less distinguished gold finders. Had Strzelecki made his claim public the Australian gold dig- ging era might have preceded that of California, which took place some ten years after Strzelecki's discovery. It is barely possible that had priority been given to Australia she would today have been in possession of a vastly larger population, with its attendant industry and progress.

Naming of Kosciusko

IN 1839 Strzelecki began to explore the Monaro tableland towards the Murray. ***) In the course of this he discovered the snow-clad range to the west of Cooma, to one high peak of which — struck by an odd resemblance to the tomb of the patriot Kosciusko at Cracow — he gave the name of Mount Kosciusko. Strzelecki was under the impression that this peak marked the highest point of the range. Some years afterwards it was ascertained that a second peak close by was slightly higher. The name Kosciusko was thereupon transferred to the second peak, and the first peak was renamed Mount Townsend. ****)

In 1840 both Strzelecki and McMillan were exploring in Gippsland. On March 27 of that year Strzelecki arrived at the Tambo. From here he set a course for Western Port. This was to prove the most arduous journey he had yet encountered. The undergrowth was so thick as almost to be impenetrable. The whole nature of the intervening country, in short, was opposed to progress. Difficulties bristled.

At length Strzelecki found nothing for it but to abandon his horses and go forward on foot. In order to make his task as light as possible, only the scantiest of rations were carried, des- pite the grave risks attendant. There now began an epic race against a dwindling food supply. As the days passed the never-ending struggle through the wall of scrub reduced all but Strzeleckie himself to the point of exhaustion. Strzelecki was, for- tunately, an exceptionally hardy and athletic man, with superb qualities of leadership. Stimulated by his example, the members of the party pressed wearily forward until, almost in the last extremity, they stumbled out upon the shores of Western Port. In token of Strzeleckl's valour on this memorable occasion, his name was subsequently given to a range not far distant from the conclusion of his journey. A peak in the north-east of South Australia, and a peak on an island in Bass Strait also bear his name.

McMillan, in the meantime, was sedulously pursuing his own star. A little time before Strzelecki began his journey to Western Port, McMillan was forcing his way through the dense scrub on the banks of the Tambo River, seeking the coastal region of the Gippsland Lakes. On this occasion he penetrated as far as Macalister and Latrobe rivers, and discovered and named Lakes Wellington and Victoria. Croajingolong means "The Eastern Peoples," an exceptionally fine race of aborigines ruled over, at the time of the colonisation of Victoria, by King Bidka. The first white settlement in Croajingolong took place about 1839, when families named Alexander and Allen took up land respectively at Genoa River and Mallacoota Inlet. The territory of Croajingolong is de- fined on the north-east by the boundary of New South Wales, on the west by the Snowy River, and elsewhere by the sea coast. It is to-day a vast unexploited area, rich in natural re- sources, and potential for prosperous settlement.

In July, 1840, McMillan undertook a second journey towards the coastal region of Gippsland. This was without further practical result. Undismayed, he set out once more in October, and this time succeeded in crossing the Southern ranges. In February of the following year he made a fourth at- tempt. After weeks of dogged endeavour he reached the site of Port Albert, South Gippsland. At last he had achieved his great ambition to open up a practical route from Monaro to the sea. It was not long before the waggon of the selector creaked trium- phantly in his wake.

Following this achievement, which definitely awarded the palm of Gippsland discovery to McMillan, he settled on his own behalf at Bushy Park, on the Avon River. He was appointed protector of the local aborigines; later he was chosen as the first representative for Southern Gippsland in the Victorian Assembly.*****) His pioneering days, however, were not yet over. His ex- tensive knowledge of the great territory which he was mainly instrumental in discovering naturally marked him as for the one man to whom the Government should turn when it was decided to open up routes from Crooked River, near Dargo, to Omeo and Harrietville. McMillan, then in his fifty-fifth year, still retained his fiery energy. He at once accepted the task. He had com- pleted 200 miles of track when he be- came seriously ill. He died on May 18, 1865, at Iguana Creek. ******)

On his return from Western Port Strzelecki had in the mean time proceeded to Tasmania. Here for two years he conducted research work similar to that which had occupied him in New South Wales. He returned to England in 1843, and published an account of his undertakings. In 1847 he was appointed a commissioner for the Irish Famine Relief Fund. Eight years later he joined the Crimean Army Fund Committee. Many honours fell to him in late life. In addition to the award of the Royal Geographical Society for his Western Port journey, he was given a Fellowship in the Royal Society in 1858, and the Oxford Degree of D.C.L. was conferred upon him in 1860. Dickens rather unkindly immortalise him as Count Smalltork, the lion at Mrs. Leo Hunter's party in Pickwick Papers. Count Strzlecki died in London on October 6, 1873.

Bernard Cronin

TROVE NLA

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FOOTNOTES

*) there is no evidence of any university studies undertaken by Strzelecki; according to his biographer Lech Paszkowski, Strzelecki was a self-taught scientist

**) The correct date of Strzelecki's arrival in Sydney is 25th April 1839

***) Strzelecki left Sydney in December 1839; he discovered and named Mt Kosciuszko on 12th of March 1840 and was exploring Gippsland in March-April-May 1840

****) incorrect information; proper explanation can be found in Prof. A. Kozek's paper Controversies over the name of Mt Kosciuszko

*****) the electoral seat of Macmillan has been abolished in 2019 after several publications revealing Macmillan's role in the Aboriginal massacres in Gippsland; he is now being called "a butcher of Gippsland"

******) Macmillan died tragically on May 18th 1865 during his last expedition; he was clearing a track near Dargo when a pack-horse slipped and fell, crushing him beneath; suffering serious internal injuries, Macmillan was carried to the public house in Iguana Creek. He was buried in the public cemetery in Sale.

(ESK)

WSPÓ£CZESNA OCENA EKSPEDYCJI STRZELECKIEGO I MACMILLANA PONI¯EJ

You Tube. Strzelecki in Gippsland by E. Skurjat-Kozek