Letter to Philip Gidley King
21 November 1802
A 1980 / 2 pp. 67-70
Manuscript letter
One of the first French settlers to arrive in the colony was engineer and explorer, Francis Louis Barrallier (1773–1853). In April 1800, Barrallier arrived in Sydney with the newly appointed governor of New South Wales, Philip Gidley King.
In October 1802, he set out on a short excursion inland to the west, and discovered the Nattai River where he set-up a supply depot for a future attempt to cross ‘the impassable’ Blue Mountains.
In this letter to Governor King, Barrallier reports on his journey; describing the country through which he travelled, and an encounter with a group of Aboriginal people.
The following month Barrallier made an attempt to cross The Blue Mountains, but was unsuccessful. Although his mission was considered a ‘failure’, and was a deterrent for many years to come, his effort to penetrate the mountain range is considered to be the most important initial attempt by a European.
It is interesting to note that Francis Louise Barrallier
wrote his letter to Governor Philip King in
French. We assume therefore that King – an English gentleman after all- was
fluent in French. Barrallier has also written in English on the last page above
the sketch map of his route.
Francis Louis Barrallier accompanied Lieutenant James
Grant in the Lady Nelson on a survey of southern Australia. Barrallier mapped
between Wilson’s Promontory and Western Port. Also with Grant he later surveyed
the harbour of Newcastle.
Governor Philip King was quick
to make use of Francis Louis Barrallier’s skills, and initially employed him to
work as an architect on public works before appointing him as an ensign in the
N.S.W. Corps.
Governor Philip King publicly praised
Francis Louis Barrallier for his work in ‘discharging the duties of Military
Engineer and Surveyor to the advancement of the Geography and Natural History
of the Territory’ and relieved Barrallier of his extra-regimental duties.
Francis Louis Barrallier was
the first European to have heard and recorded the Indigenous bush call
‘coo-ee.’
On Francis Louis Barrallier’s initial journey into the
Blue Mountains, he discovered the Nattai River and brought back
specimens of limestone and iron ore, which Governor Philip King sent to Sir
Joseph Banks.
The group of Aboriginal people Francis Louis
Barrallier met on his trek through the mountains was led by a man named
Goondel.
As an architect, Francis Louis Barrallier drafted the plans for an Orphan Asylum at Parramatta in 1800.
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