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'When Robert O’Hara Burke and William John Wills set out on their fateful journey with the Victorian Exploring Expedition, Wills brought with him a diary in which to record his experiences. His entries would go on to help historians understand the circumstances that led to the tragic end of the expedition. Today, the diary is held by the National Library of Australia and forms the foundation of Starvation in a Land of Plenty.
'Between 23 April and 28 June 1861, Wills documented the torments and disappointments that led to his and Burke’s destruction. Surprising to many, though, Wills was not the second-in-command but, rather, the party’s ‘surveyor, astronomical and meteorological observer’. His resulting misfortune and the words he left behind have transformed the young English surveyor into both an Australian martyr and hero. Combined with images from the Library’s collection, this poignant and telling publication draws on Wills’ at times matter-of-fact account of his fatal weeks, revealing him to have been a man of great dignity and bravery. ' (Publication summary)
Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of
Works about this Work
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Three Pale Strangers
2015
single work
review
— Appears in: Australian Book Review , January-February no. 368 2015; (p. 50-51)
— Review of Starvation in a Land of Plenty : Wills' Diary of the Fateful Burke and Wills Expedition 2013 single work diary -
[Review Essay] Starvation in a Land of Plenty : Wills' Diary of the Fateful Burke and Wills Expedition
2015
single work
essay
— Appears in: Journal of Australian Colonial History , no. 17 2015; (p. 211-213)'Arguably Australia's most well-known exploration journey, that of Burke and Wills, is the subject of this attractive book in which Cathcart depicts William John Wills as the under-appreciated brains of the expedition. Based on Wills' diary, the book's eye-catching layout makes it a pleasure both to read and to hold. Over 130 colourful images, including 16 double-page spreads, complement Cathcart's insightful interpretation of Wills' pencilled and detailed notes.' (Introduction)
-
Three Pale Strangers
2015
single work
review
— Appears in: Australian Book Review , January-February no. 368 2015; (p. 50-51)
— Review of Starvation in a Land of Plenty : Wills' Diary of the Fateful Burke and Wills Expedition 2013 single work diary -
[Review Essay] Starvation in a Land of Plenty : Wills' Diary of the Fateful Burke and Wills Expedition
2015
single work
essay
— Appears in: Journal of Australian Colonial History , no. 17 2015; (p. 211-213)'Arguably Australia's most well-known exploration journey, that of Burke and Wills, is the subject of this attractive book in which Cathcart depicts William John Wills as the under-appreciated brains of the expedition. Based on Wills' diary, the book's eye-catching layout makes it a pleasure both to read and to hold. Over 130 colourful images, including 16 double-page spreads, complement Cathcart's insightful interpretation of Wills' pencilled and detailed notes.' (Introduction)