Across the Blue Mountains

Blaxland’s rare account of this 1813 expedition

Over the Hills and Far Away

The crossing of the Blue Mountains in 1813 was a pivotal event in the young Colony. Settlers would no longer be confined to the coastal areas and the limitless hectares beyond would entice those wishing to make their fortune from sheep and cattle. Gregory Blaxland (1778-1853) wanted land for his flocks; land which Governor Macquarie would not grant on the coast. He obtained the Governor’s permission for an expedition to attempt to cross what had hitherto been an impenetrable barrier. On 11 May 1813, he set out, together with William Lawson and William Charles Wentworth, four servants, four horses and five dogs. They succeeded by finding a route along the ridges rather than through the valleys, the latter having defeated several before.

Gregory Blaxland was the only one of the three who published his journal of the expedition. It was privately published for his friends ten years after the event. It is extremely rare and only around ten copies have survived.
Display item Across the Blue Mountains

 

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