Burke, Wills and King press on, exhausted by hunger and fatigue,1861. The Burke and Wills expedition, 1860-61, initially consisted of 19 men, led by Robert O'Hara Burke (1821-c1861), and William John Wills (1834-c1861). Its objective was the crossing of Australia from Melbourne to the Gulf of Carpentaria, a distance of around 3,250 kilometres. The return journey was plagued by delays and monsoon rains. Burke and Wills died on or about 30th June 1861. Altogether, seven men died, and only one man, John King, crossed the continent with the expedition and returned alive to Melbourne.

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Photo credit: © The History Emporium / Alamy / Afripics
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