The Great Western Road illustrated by Frank Walker FRAHS

More documents

Recommendations

Info

. J ‘ SSS f f — r ■*•*
The Great Wastern Road from the Nepean, places the m em o rial about 1 mile from the high bluff east of Linden, which added to the 161 miles o f Blaxland’s statement, agrees exactly. Surveyor George W illiam Evans, in his journal, states (November 21, 1 8 1 3 ): “ . . . .at about 11 o ’clock I passed the pile of stones alluded to by the form er party. . . (i.e., Blaxland’s). Here again we have evidence that the cairn was visible from the road, and, apparently, close to it, as the discovery of the foundations proved. Evans had no time for exploration work, outside Blaxland’s track, us he was eager to press on to the latter’s terminal point, where his own work would begin. M ajor Antill, in his diary of Governor Macquarie’s trip in 1815, also refers to the pile o f stones, placing it at “ about 5 miles from Springwood.” This measurement all but coincides with the position o f the memorial as fixed by others, and with the remains discovered in September. 1912, there belnjg a difference o f only three-quarters o f a mile. The name “ K eeley’s” or “Daley's Repulse,” was bestowed by Macquarie, who was even ignorant o f the man’s very name. That Caley had aught to do with it is out of the question, as his tour of exploration was conducted on the northern side of the Grose Valley, so that he could never have even aet foot upon the ridges over which Blaxland first -travelled, let alone erected the memorial. W ho its builder really was is only problematical. It may have been Bass, though his direction was much further south, or W ilson, probably the latter, as he was known to have penetrated nearly as far as this. On the other hand, Quartermaster Hacking, o f the “ Sirius,” was also in the vicinity, aim the nature of the memorial is like what a sailor would accomplish in fixing his mark in newly-discovered country. After this lapse o f time it is very unlikely that the name o f the original builder will ever be known. WILLIAM COX. — «------ A PIONEER’S JOUENAL. (By fr a n k w a l k e r.) July IS, 1814.— "A t daylight, gave out the tools to handle and put in order. Issued half a week’s provisions to the whole party. Began work at 10 a.m to make a pass across the Nepean; the banks very steep on the east side. . . . W eath er fine, clear, and frosty.” The above extract Is taken from W illiam C ox’s Journal, and is rem iniscent of the turning of the Erst sod of the great road to the west. T o-m orrow , the corresponding date in the present year, the centenary of tblB event w ill have been reached, and now that the question of new roads and railw ays is con stan t ly before the public eye. It may profit us to forget the present century for a sh ort time, and project our minds Into thd past, when W illiam Cox, under Governor M acquarie's orders, Bet him self the task ot carrying a road across those mountain solitudes, which but lately had been conquered by the Intrepid explorers, Blaxland, W entworth, and Lawson. M ost people are, or should be, fam iliar with the circum stances which necessitated the Im m ediate discovery of new lands, in which the ; starving cattle would have a chance to procure sustenance, and the strenuous efforts that were made between tho years 1789 and 1SJ3 to force a passage across the Blue Mountains, beyond w hich, it was felt certain, unlim ited pasturage lay. A ll this was brought about by the su c cessful expedition of the abovenam ed ex p lorers, and the subsequent discoveries o f thetr successor, George W illiam Evans. Those discoveries could not be put to any practical use until m eans o f acces3 had been provided, and this was the problem which faced Macquarie when the conquest o f the heights had at last been accom plished. He was fully alive to the great possibilities that lay before this sudden acquisition of unbounded territory, whose richness and beauty had been so graphically described by Evans, and, thanks to the magnanimous offer of that sterlin g clti- i zen and soldier, Captain W illiam Cox, to su perintend the construction o f the road that -the Governor had determ ined must be made, there seem ed an early chance o f M acquarie's hopes and aspirations being realised. A ccordingly, the Governor issued a General Order, doted from Government House, Sydney, July 14, 1814, in which, with the greatest m inuteness, he gives instructions as to the m ethods to be em ployed in carrying
Page 1 and 2: "THE GREAT 'WESTEBN EOAD" Illu s tr
Page 3: "TTT" CiREAT WESTERN BOAD” I l l
Page 6 and 7: * ■ - ....... --—------ ------
Page 8 and 9: 9 fb lank] ' : \r: n ,**.«..•r 7
Page 10 and 11: nr.,; . nx.| \u m, &a, ■ >•rc,i
Page 12 and 13: 12 [blank] Oita 0'^.fi-Jiitfi.fiJ.c
Page 14 and 15: i Mil*?, .,uy IT., V $ , .,vi,_ V ;
Page 16 and 17: . cHtr: \t t wr .. .c\ t : : ,„ :
Page 18 and 19: !? [VI V a j ' until- ‘to.M t Wfi
Page 20 and 21: ■V, v ;v ■: ■: ■■•rO
Page 23 and 24: The Great Western rioad T H E B O H
Page 25 and 26: j 10 The Great Western Road vere th
Page 27 and 28: The Great Western Road was rather t
Page 29 and 30: The Great Vestern Road. ordered to
Page 31 and 32: The Great Western Koad. The road fo
Page 33 and 34: 4 The Great Western Koad. line as f
Page 35 and 36: The Great Western Road. wide at one
Page 37 and 38: 16 iSie Great Western Road. W illia
Page 39 and 40: The Great Viestern Road. j. ment o
Page 41 and 42: 18 The Great Western Road la n d hi
Page 43 and 44: The Great Western Road. 19 at the s
Page 45: j 0 The Great Western Road. -------
Page 49 and 50: The Great Western Hoad delivered, C
Page 51 and 52: The Greet Western Roed ____________
Page 53 and 54: The Great Western Hoad street to th
Page 55 and 56: The Groat Western Road record tim e
Page 57 and 58: The Greet Western Road ' n - 7 ’
Page 59 and 60: The Great Western Boad rem ain to m
Page 61: The Great Western Road WM. COX, tal
Page 64 and 65: « T i d w t i $ t i 7
Page 66 and 67: ---■................. «- .......
Page 69 and 70: J b s o i l / i n * ’ -im*i x ) *
Page 71 and 72: I ) » o H j j r i € i ' s * W J
Page 73 and 74: i3 0 ... S m o i 'J e x i l ' > .
Page 75 and 76: PAGES 74-138 ARE BLANK
Page 77 and 78: ■ |4o r j > \ * M
Page 79 and 80: l 4 Z [ h k n k j ]
Page 82: The Great Western Road "Evans' Grow
Page 86: The great Western Road Group pictur
Page 90: The Great Western Road VII i.f - Th
Page 93 and 94: i56[>WV2
Page 96:
The Great Western Hoed X 77 These v
Page 99 and 100:
I
Page 101 and 102:
PAGES 164-196 ARE BLANK
show all

The Great Western Road illustrated by Frank Walker FRAHS

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?