Hume and Hovell Expedition - Departure

Departure

On 2 October 1824, Hovell and Hume met at Mr. Hume's house in Appin, and started upon their expedition. The party when complete, consisted of eight persons, Mr. Hume and his three men, Claude Bossowa, Henry Angel, and James Fitzpatrick. And Mr. Hovell and his three men, Thomas Boyd, William Bollard, and Thomas Smith.

They reached Mr. Hume's station near Lake George on the 13th and then started their journey on the 17th. On the 18th they camped near (the site of his late residence), Cooma Cottage. On the 19th they passed Yarrh - or as they are now called Yass Plains.

Their first great difficulty was in crossing the Murrumbidgee which was in full flood at the time. The timber growing on the banks of this river was too heavy to float, so Mr. Hume resolved to make a raft of the body of one of their carts. Mr. Hume and Mr. Hovell's man Boyd, swam across the river first, with a small rope between their teeth, to which was attached a line long enough to reach across the river. It was a work of peril, as the current was strong. But they succeeded, and then, with much labour, got the whole party, with baggage and cattle, safely over.

On 24 October they came up to what seemed an impenetrable mountain barrier. There was an argument between the leaders concerning the best route to take which resulted in the party splitting up. The equipment was divided, and they prepared to cut their one tent in halves. Hume and Hovell fought bitterly over the frying-pan, which fell apart in their hands. One of them taking the handle, the other the pan itself. Later, however, Hovell rejoined Hume when he found he had made a mistake.

Mr. Hume, with two men, following a chain of ponds, came to a chasm through which the whole party afterwards descended. On tho 31st they found themselves on the western edge of the tableland. The descent was not accomplished without much difficulty. And here they proved the great superiority of bullocks over horses for travelling over a mountainous country. On 6 November, they came insight of the snow covered Australian Alps. They came after this upon a very rich country, abounding in kangaroos and other animals, with frequent tracks of aborigines; and on Tuesday, 16 November, they arrived suddenly on the banks of a "fine river".

Mr. Hume was the first to see the river, near the site of Albury and named it "the Hume," (now the Murray River) after his father, the commissary. This river, where they first came upon it, is about eighty yards in breadth, and of considerable depth. The current was about three miles an hour, and the water clear. The course of the river is serpentine, and its banks covered with verdure.

They improvised a tarpaulin covered wicker boat, but nobody was keen on crossing in such a fragile craft. "If you don't do what tell you i'll throw you in!" thundered Hume at Hovell. And with that, they were able to eventually cross and continue into what is now known as Victoria.

They proceeded south crossing the Ovens River and Goulburn River by a route further to the east of the Hume Highway and closer to the foothills of Mount Buffalo. They reached the Great Dividing Range in rugged country around Mount Disappointment by following an aboriginal track roughly along the Yea to Kinglake road. From the summit of Mount Disappointment they observed bushfires and were unable to find a way through the range. They then retraced their steps to what is now the Strath Creek road at Flowerdale then moved west along Sunday Creek to Mount Piper near Broadford.