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ABOUT THE HUME & HOVELL WALKING TRACK
(sourced from http://www.lpma.nsw.gov.au/about_recreation/walking_tracks/hume_and_hovell_walking_track)
The Hume and Hovell Walking Track stretches over 440km between Yass and
Albury and allows walkers to rediscover the route of explorers Hamilton Hume
and William Hovell on their expedition to Port Phillip in 1824. The route
offers a variety of topographies, vegetation types and land uses, as well as
numerous points of historic interest.
By the 1820's various explorers
had extended the boundaries of the Colony of New South Wales but the nature
of the interior of south-eastern Australia was unknown. Governor Brisbane
wanted an expedition mounted to investigate the quality of the land between
Lake George and Westernport on the southern coast of the continent. Hamilton
Hume was recommended to him as a competent and experienced bushman and
explorer. He was joined by William Hovell an Englishman who had been a
ship's captain.
The journey commenced on 3rd October 1824. The party
comprised Hume and Hovell and six assigned men seeking tickets of leave. In
order to reach Westernport, the explorers endeavoured to follow a
south-westerly routes on every possible occasion, travelling along the
western edge of the Great Dividing Range and over the plains toward what
would become Albury.
After ingeniously crossing the Murray River by
building a raft using a tarpaulin, they continued on, reaching Port Phillip
on 16th December 1824, at the present site of Geelong. The poor state of
their provisions forced them to set out on the return journey almost
immediately.
They arrived at Hume's outstation near Lake George on
18th January 1825, completing one of the Colony's most significant
explorations. They had travelled more than 1900 kilometres on foot, in only
16 weeks, and in doing so had discovered some of the most fertile land on
the continent.
The Governor, who was under instruction to expand the
boundaries of the Colony, was able to exploit the achievements of the small
party and settlement quickly followed.
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ADVENTURE LIST
Round Ireland
(2016)
Hume & Hovell Walking Track
(2013)
Via Alpina
(2012)
Australian Alps Walking
Track
(2011)
Land's End to John O'Groats
(2010)
Round Oz Bike Record Attempt
(2009)
Round Oz Bike Record Attempt
(2008)
Round Oz Bike Record Attempt
(2007)
Australia Tip to Top MTB
(2006)
Adelaide to Darwin MTB
(2005)
Sydney to Melbourne MTB
(2004)
Three Peaks Race
(2004)
Appalachian Trail
(1986)
Alpine Track
(1983)
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