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9C
Source 1 Blaxland on his unsuccessful
1810 expedition (1)
We ascended the River Hawkesbury, or Nepean, from
above Emu Island [near Glenbrook], to the mouth of
the Warragomby, or Great Western River, where it
emerges from the mountains, and joins itself to that
river, from its mouth. We proceeded as far as it was
navigable by a small boat, which is only a few miles
further. It was found to lose itself at different places,
almost entirely underneath and between immense
blocks of stones, being confined on each side by
perpendicular cliffs of the same kind of stone, which
sometimes rose as high as the tops of the mountains,
through which it appears to have forced, or worn its
way, with the assistance, probably, of an earthquake,
or some other great convulsion of nature.
Blaxland’s journal
http://ebooks.adelaide.edu.au/b/blaxland/gregory/b64j/part1.html#part1
2 Show this route on the map opposite. Note that
the spelling of some names on the map and in the
documents may be slightly different.
3 To which of the five possible methods for crossing
the Blue Mountains does this evidence refer?
4 Was this method successful?
Source 3
The next European attempt at a crossing of the Blue
Mountains, which succeeded by following the ridges
and not the valleys, was the famous 1813 expedition
of Blaxland, Wentworth and Lawson. In fact, they
found the only accessible route, which the highway
and railway still mainly follow today. The key to the
crossing was locating the 20-metre wide Linden ridge
and it appears they did this without assistance from the
local people.
Eugene Stockton and John Merriman (eds), Blue Mountains Dreaming:
The Aboriginal Heritage (Second Edition), Blue Mountain Education
and Research Trust, Lawson, 2009 p. 169
8 Show this route on the map.
9 To which of the five possible methods for crossing
the Blue Mountains does this evidence refer?
10 Was this method successful?
Source 4 Map showing the topography of
the Sydney Basin
Source 2 Blaxland on his unsuccessful
1810 expedition (2)
This journey confirmed me in the opinion, that it was
practicable to find a passage over the mountains,
and I resolved at some future period to attempt it, by
endeavouring to cross the river, and reach the high
land on its northern bank by the ridge which appeared
to run westward, between the Warragomby and the
River Grose. I concluded, that if no more difficulties
were found in travelling than had been experienced on
the other side, we must be able to advance westward
towards the interior of the country, and have a fair
chance of passing the mountains. On inquiry, I found a
person who had been accustomed to hunt the kangaroo
in the mountains, in the direction I wished to go; who
undertook to take the horses to the top of the first ridge.
Before we set out, we laid down the plan to be pursued,
and the course to be attempted, namely, to ascend the
ridge before-mentioned, taking the streams of water on
the left, which appeared to empty themselves into the
Warragomby, as our guide; being careful not to cross
any of them, but to go round their sources, so as to be
certain of keeping between them and the streams that
emptied themselves into the River Grose.
Blaxland’s journal
http://ebooks.adelaide.edu.au/b/blaxland/gregory/b64j/part1.html#part1
www.environment.nsw.gov.au/resources/nature/SydneyBasinMapsTopography.pdf
5 Show this route on the map.
6 To which of the five possible methods for crossing
the Blue Mountains does this evidence refer?
7 Was this method successful?
11 Which of the five possible methods for crossing
the Blue Mountains does this evidence help you
understand?
12 Was this method successful?
Myths and Mysteries of the Crossing of the Blue Mountains
31