” . . . Other squatters followed until a large area of Burnett country was taken by men under the impression that the river was the Boyne of Oxley in 1823, and they remained in that belief until Surveyor Burnett in 1847 found that Oxley’s Boyne was 110 miles north of the Burnett. Even to-day on the maps one of the heads of the Burnett is erroneously named the Boyne . . . “
Source: Excerpt – ‘The History of Queensland: Its People & Industries’ – by Matthew J Fox – published c 1923 – pp 823
The bravery and achievements of our first explorers and pioneers in Australia is barely comprehensible. The distances they travelled, by horseback, or on foot; through unknown and uncharted territories, jungles, rivers, mountains, deserts – the accuracy of their charts, the detail of their journals . . .
Situate within the Ban Ban Springs Rest Area in Queensland, stands a small monument marking the place where surveyor James Charles Burnett passed by on one such journey, on the 24th March 1847.
” . . . It was not till 1847 that Surveyor Burnett received instructions from Sydney to trace the river from its mouth, and the Governor (Sir Charles Fitzroy) named it in his honour, he having traced it as instructed and cleared up a large amount of misconception about its course. It is quite evident that Burnett did not survey the main course of the river, at this time, but that he mapped out the Boyne and the Burnett, from the Boyne junction to its course. Captain Samuel Augustus Perry made an unsuccessful attempt to reach by sea the mouth of the river Boyne so called by the Moreton Bay settlers under the supposition that is was the same river as that to which the same name had been given by Surveyor General Oxley and which flows into Port Curtis. Mr. Surveyor Burnett, who accompanied Captain Perry on his expedition, was compelled on account of wet weather to abandon the exploration for the time being ; but, as soon as dry weather set in, Burnett returned to and continued the expedition from the spot whence Captain Perry was compelled to turn back Burnett succeeded in tracing this river as far as the confluence of fresh and tide water whence owing to the nature of the country on its banks he considered it advisable to turn back and return to Moreton Bay. He then proceeded from Moreton Bay in a open whale boat and succeeded in entering the mouth of the river and traced it to the point which he had reached on his land expedition . . . “
Source: Excerpt – ‘The Discovery, Exploration and Early Settlement of the Upper Burnett’ – by Mr H.S. Bloxsome – Read 25th August, 1942 – pp 340
An excerpt of the monument reads:
” In the Steps of our Forefathers
Surveyor James Charles Burnett 1815-1854
Travelled through here on 24th March 1847 while
exploring the District and the River Boyne (Burnett) “
.
Helpful Hints:
– Within the Town Centre – obtain Directions here
– Car Parking available within the Rest Area
– Other Historical POI’s nearby
Discover Ban Ban Springs:
– Nearby Features:
– Shopping
– Facilities available at Ban Ban Springs
Sorry, no records were found. Please adjust your search criteria and try again.
Sorry, unable to load the Maps API.