Victorian Collections logo
The Beechworth Burke Museum
From the collection of The Beechworth Burke Museum
883 Items featured online

Photograph, 1910

  • A black and white copy of a photograph of a suited man wearing a hat standing in front of a sprawling tree.

    4611.1 - Obverse

  • Handwritten notes about the photograph

    4611.1 - Reverse

  • A black and white photograph of a suited man wearing a hat standing in front of a sprawling tree.

    4611.2 - Obverse

  • Handwritten identifier

    4611.2 - Reverse

  • Untitled image

  • A black and white copy of a photograph of a suited man wearing a hat standing in front of a sprawling tree.
  • Handwritten notes about the photograph
  • A black and white photograph of a suited man wearing a hat standing in front of a sprawling tree.
  • Handwritten identifier

Historical information

The photograph and copy depict the Dig Tree, a coolibah tree on Cooper Creek linked to the ill-fated Burke and Wills expedition of 1860–61. This was the site where Robert O’Hara Burke and William John Wills returned from the Gulf of Carpentaria and found their support party had left only hours earlier. And carvings on the tree pointed to buried supplies. The tree became a reminder of the tragedy and fatal misjudgements that led to it, as well as the harsh conditions of inland exploration.

Significance

This 1910 photograph of the Dig Tree holds historic significance as it depicts one of the most iconic exploration sites. It captures the landscape and features of the location just fifty years after the expedition and offers insight into how the site was remembered and commemorated in the early 20th century.

Physical description

Black and white rectangular photograph printed on matte photographic paper unmounted.

Inscriptions & markings

4611.1 Reverse: 84.75 1/4611-1/THE BURKE AND Wills "DIG TREE"./SITUATED ON NAPPA MERRIE STATION, COOPERS CREEK QLD,/PHOTO TAKEN BY JOHN W. CONRICK OF NAPPA MERRIE ABOUT 1910.
4611.2 Reverse: 4611-2

Subjects

References

TOP
Back to top