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LUDWIG LEICHHARDT (1813-48?)
Born in the hamlet of Trebatsch, Prussia (in today’s north Germany), Ludwig was a bright
child who went on to study at universities across Europe. Subjects of a‘naturalist’included
biology, geology, medicine and philosophy. He was competent in six languages. In his late
twenties he arrived in Australia and undertook many scientific journeys and often alone
he collected, measured and recorded. He then led three major expeditions. The first and
most successful undertaken in 1844-45 linked east Australia to the top of today’s Northern
Territory. The next two, 1847 and 1848, sought an east-west crossing of Australia.
The 1847 effort failed and the party returned from the Peak Ranges. Soon after leaving
‘Cogoon Station’, in south-east Queensland in April 1848 nothing further was heard of him.
His brilliant scientific work is still being unravelled.
• For a good read biography – John Bailey’s
Into the Unknown
, Pan Macmillan, 2011
• For the early years in Australia –
Leichhardt’s Diaries: Early Travels in Australia
during 1842-44
, Edited by Tom Darragh and Rod Fensham – to be published by the
Queensland Museum and released on 23 October 2013
• For what happened to Leichhardt – Darrell Lewis’s
Where is Dr Leichhardt?
, Monash
University Publishing, 2013
ABOUT THE PROJECT
History, adventure and artistic endeavour.
The project has primarily sought to retrace and retell Leichhardt's
epic 1844-45 expedition. Led by Bill Gannon, the exercise has run
over 3 years and involved artists, writers, academic and local area
historians, scientists, traditional owners, pastoralists, and all levels
of government and others.
Research began with the records left by Leichhardt, John Gilbert
and other members of the expedition. Of particular value were the
original diaries and hand drawn maps of Leichhardt at the Mitchell
Library, Sydney. Then there were the various commentaries, books,
novels, music scores and operas, radio plays, as well as artworks.
Initial fieldwork began in mid 2011 when surveyor, Rod
Schlencker, and Bill made a reconnaissance trip from Comet in
Central Queensland to the Gulf of Carpentaria. That work provided
confidence in trailing the Leichhardt route, finding many campsites,
and gaining access permission. Field sketches were made and
interest in the full project increased.
Requiring one and a half years and mostly undertaken in 2-3 week
periods, the main fieldwork was sometimes a solo adventure and
at other times a gathering. At the AustralianWildlife Conservancy's
'Pungalina' on the west coast of the Gulf of Carpentaria, Rod and
Bill camped with 50 plus scientists ('cavers', 'birdies', 'froggers',
and others) hosted by the Royal Geography Society of Queensland.
Earlier, on the opposite side of the Gulf, the night camp included
a crocodile!
The project is now at the exhibition stage. The key exhibition being
at the Leichhardt Town Hall, Sydney, to coincide with Leichhardt's
200th birthday on 23 October 2013. A video link is to run from that
exhibition to Cottbus, Germany. Exhibitions are planned around
Australia in late 2013 and 2014.
Dr Leichhardt 1846
by Charles Rodius
38 x 89 cm
Pencil and charcoal on paper
National Library of Australia
nia.pic-an5600270
