AustLit

19th-Century Australian Travel Writing

Ernest Giles (1835-1897) explorer, Knight Chevalier of the Crown of Italy, F.R.G.S., London, Gold Medalist of the R.G.S for 1880 and fellow of various European geographical societies, was an explorer and early settler in South Australia and Victoria. In Geographic Travels in Central Australia from 1872-1874, Giles presents an account of his explorations in central Australia based on his journal, which was introduced by Baron Ferdinand Von Mueller who noted that "It was deemed desirable to render the instructive and stirring account of his exploits accessible in a more attainable form than that of parliamentary records" (1). The work was written in diary form and described the journey in detail, with extensive scientific and geographical information. It concluded with an appendix of the plants collected by Giles throughout his journey. Giles later wrote Australia Twice Traversed (1889) and The Journal of a Forgotten Expedition (1880).