Curio

State Library of New South Wales
Journal kept by Mr Cox in making a road across the Blue Mountains from Emu Plains to a new country discovered by Mr Evans to the westward

Journal kept by Mr Cox in making a road across the Blue Mountains from Emu Plains to a new country discovered by Mr Evans to the westward

7 July 1814 – 6 January 1815
C 708 / 2 (Safe 1 / 265)
Manuscript journal

In 1814, the engineer, government contractor, magistrate and pastoralist William Cox was commissioned by Governor Lachlan Macquarie to build a road across the Blue Mountains from Emu Plains to the Macquarie River. Cox mustered a team of eight guards and 30 strong convicts (of whom he promised their freedom at the end of the job) to build the road. Cox was accompanied by two Aboriginal men Colebee from the Darug Tribe and the Boorooerongal Clan and Joe from the Mulgoa Clan who acted as guides and translators for the Europeans.

On the 18th July, 1814 work began on the road at Emu Plains. It took four months to complete the road to Mount York, and another two to reach the Macquarie River, near present day Bathurst.
Cox kept this journal during the project. The Mitchell Library also owns a later ‘fair’ copy, which is a neater version of the diary that was written at a later date for the purposes of publication. Extracts from his journal were finally published as part of his Memoirs in 1901.

‘Completed the road to the beginning of the large mountain’

[William Cox’s journal is open to the pages covering November 11th – 12th ]
‘Friday 11th November
Rain commenced before daylight, and continued the whole day. Wind S. and very cold. Sent T. Raddock to Windsor, being very ill. S. Freeman, the carpenter, laid up with a cold and swollen face. Jas. Dwyer ill; pain in side and breast. Sent two carts to the second depôt for provisions. Sent three men with the dogs to catch kangaroos three times this week. Brought one home every day. The bullock driver, with 11 bullocks joined me yesterday. All they have done this last fortnight has been to bring in one bag of biscuits from the first depôt to this place (43 miles).
Ordered the bullocks down the mountain to the forest ground, where I intend letting them remain to recover themselves until we remove forward towards the Fish River. One of them is quite blind. He got into the gully going down, but we got him out to-day safe.
Saturday 
Very fine day. Wind east and cold. Completed the road to the beginning of the large mountain, which we have to descend to the forest ground. Measured it up; it is 28 miles 50 chains. Continued to clear away the timber and rubbish through the large rocks, and to the beginning of the bluff end of the mountain. Two men on the sick list.’