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Hume and Ho
Hovell
ell
EXPLORERS AT ODDS
BY BILL PEACH
They were the odd couple of Australian exploration. One, a starchy sea captain, a stickler for rank and
discipline, an Englishman and haughtily proud of it. The other, a rough-and-ready bushman, a democratic
Australian-born ‘currency lad’, and aggressively proud of it. Given the temperamental differences between
them, a partnership like this did not seem destined to end happily, and indeed it did not.
T
HE PUBLIC had no inkling
of the hostility between the
two explorers when The
Australian, on January 27
1825, reported:
Captain Hovell and Mr H. Hume
have returned from their excursions
to the southward. It appears that they
penetrated as far as Western Port,
Bass’s Straits, where they discovered a
river of considerable magnitude. They
represent the country to be
remarkably rich.
Their actual achievement was far
greater than the first sparse reports
indicated. They were the first white
explorers to see the snow-capped
mountains of the Australian Alps and
traverse their foothills and to cross
the Murray and all the rich land and
rivers south to Port Phillip Bay.
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Settlers soon followed in their wake
with mobs of sheep and cattle. Within
ten years, many of the valuable river
frontages had been taken up, and the
settlement of Melbourne had been
founded at the head of Port Phillip
Bay.
The Hume Highway that now links
Australia’s two greatest cities still
follows to a large degree the track
established by Hume and Hovell.
The public did not learn till thirty
years after the exploration that Hume
and Hovell were perhaps the last men
on earth who should have travelled
together.
The blame was not wholly theirs.
Ten years earlier, Governor Macquarie
had sent George Evans on an
expedition across the Blue Mountains
to follow up the work of Blaxland,
Wentworth and Lawson.
Evans crossed the Great Divide, saw
the western plains, named the
Macquarie and Lachlan Rivers, and
ABOVE LEFT: Hamilton Hume, The Explorer,
Wood engraving by Samuel Calvert. State
Library of Victoria, mp001862.
ABOVE RIGHT: Captain William Hilton
Hovell, 1866, Mitchell Library, ML 34.
BACKGROUND IMAGE: Hume and Hovell
thought they had arrived at Westernport
Bay but in fact it was Corio Bay, pictured
here as seen from Flinders Peak in the You
Yangs, the spot from which they first viewed
it. Photo by Philip Kellett.
did a fine job. Unfortunately, Earl
Bathurst, the Secretary of State for
the Colonies in London, was not
impressed by the unlettered style of
Evans’ journal.
He instructed the Governor to
choose men of more scientific
observation and general knowledge to
lead expeditions.
The Surveyor-General, John Oxley,
was a scholar and a gentleman with
aristocratic connections, and
Macquarie turned to him to lead two
major expeditions into western New
South Wales.
Oxley led large and well-equipped
parties, discovered valuable land and
wrote stylish journals. However, he
did not understand the nature of the
arid Australian landscape, and with
the green meadows of England firmly
lodged in his head, he made a hasty
judgment about the land south of the
Lachlan River. Stranded in waterless
plains (he stopped a few miles before
he’d have found the Murrumbidgee),
he called the country desolate,
melancholy, miserable, impossible
desert which civilised man was
unlikely to visit again.
It seems an odd way to describe the
Riverina, but Oxley went further. He
said there was no river flowing to the
southern coast of Australia, and that
the land south of his expedition (i.e.
Victoria) was useless and
uninhabitable.
It was a bad call, one of the worst in
the history of Australian exploration,
and it had a crucial bearing on the
Hume and Hovell expedition.
In 1824, Governor Brisbane
expressed interest in the land between
the Goulburn Plains and Bass Strait.
This was the land that Oxley had
already declared useless. He was still
the Surveyor-General, and he risked a
colossal loss of face if his judgment
was found to be wrong.
Governor Brisbane discussed a
southern expedition with the
Shoalhaven pioneer, Alexander Berry,
and Berry suggested it should be led
by an experienced bushman,
Hamilton Hume. Hume himself was
always confident he could do it. He
displayed a degree of what the gentry
called ‘colonial bounce’ in a letter to
Governor Brisbane “presuming myself
(although an Australian) capable
from experience of understanding
such an expedition.”
Brisbane, having launched the idea
of an official expedition, progressively
withdrew his support. Oxley had the
Governor’s ear and Oxley was for
obvious reasons hostile to this project.
It became clear to Hume that the
expedition would either have to be
privately financed or not go at all.
Hume could not afford it, and the
whole project was in doubt until one
man came forward and offered to
share half the cost of a private
expedition. His name was Captain
William Hovell. So the odd couple
began their stormy partnership.
Unusually for a currency lad,
Hamilton Hume was born of free
parents, at Toongabbie, in 1797.
The South Australian Alps as first seen by Messrs. Hovell and Hume on the 8th November, 1824, painted by George Edwards Peacock. Mitchell
Library ML144
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By 1824, Hume was already a
legend as a bushman. He had explored
the Bargo Brush, the Southern
Highlands and the Illawarra coast in
the company of James Meehan, Dr
Charles Throsby and Alexander Berry.
All spoke highly of his practical bush
skills, his unerring sense of direction
and his gift for making friends with
Aboriginal tribes. He was in the prime
of life, strong and fit, and an ideal
candidate for the overland journey to
the southern coast.
William Hovell’s qualifications as
an explorer were less obvious. Born at
Yarmouth in 1786, he spent his early
life at sea before obtaining a land
grant at Narellan.
Berry introduced him to Hume as a
man anxious to join the expedition
and capable of taking observations to
ascertain the latitude.
The first part of this description was
certainly true. Hovell stretched his
resources to the limit to supply a cart,
a horse, two convicts, four bullocks
and half the provisions. Hume had to
go into debt to Berry to provide his
half of the enterprise, including a cart,
two horses, four convicts and one
bullock.
Governor Brisbane’s inglorious
contribution to the undertaking was
six packsaddles, six muskets, six
blankets, two tarpaulins and one tent.
Exploration Maps Hume and Hovell 1824 and 1825, Series VPRS 12903/P1,
60 Australian Heritage
All up, it was worth less than fifty
pounds, and he had the gall to
demand that the equipment should be
returned later to the government
stores.
Asked many years later why they
did it, Hovell said it was for the glory
of the undertaking if they succeeded
and also because it had been given out
that it could not be done. Hovell
didn’t say who gave this out, but
presumably he meant Oxley. He could
almost have included Brisbane. The
Governor who first thought of the
plan was prepared in the end to let
Hume and Hovell depart with one of
the most meanly equipped expeditions
in Australian history.
Public Record Office Victoria.
Their instructions were to travel in
as direct a line as possible from Lake
George, the edge of settlement, to
Westernport Bay, the best-known
location on the southern coast at that
time.
Taken literally, this line would have
sent them practically over the top of
Mount Kosciusko.
Following Hovell’s calculations,
they attempted something close to
that, but when they reached the
region of Tumbarumba and Hume saw
the Snowy Mountains ahead on their
track, he insisted on a major
deviation to the west.
They reached a big river they called
the Hume, and then several southern
tributaries of that river. Eventually
and with great difficulty, they crossed
the southern end of the Great
Dividing Range, and reached the sea
at a saltwater bay.
They had been out three months
since they left Hume’s station at
Gunning, and they immediately
turned around and made the return
trip in one month. Their rations were
completely exhausted and so were the
men. None of their dogs or cattle
finished the trip.
It was a remarkable journey, more
remarkable than the public realised
from the sketchy reports in the press.
There was no comprehensive account
of the expedition until 1831, when Dr
William Bland published Journey of
Discovery to Port Phillip.
Hume and Hovell had been
instructed to go to Westernport Bay,
and both thought they had gone to
Westernport Bay. Hovell’s alleged
expertise in geographical calculations
had been no help in this matter, and
when he returned with a naval
expedition to Westernport Bay in
1826, he was forced to admit it was
nothing like the place they had seen.
They had in fact been to Corio Bay,
many miles away on the western side
of Port Phillip Bay.
This mistake, and the delayed
publication of Dr Bland’s Journal due
to his illness, took some of the shine
off Hume and Hovell’s achievements.
However, when the book was
published, it became clear at last just
how challenging their task had been.
It may not have been as long or as
grim as later desert explorations, but
it was certainly more rewarding for
the country. It was probably the most
Hume And Hovell Crossing The Murray [River] In 1825. History of Victoria, Illustrated.
Engraver – F A Sleap. Image courtesy of the State Library of Victoria, IAN01/08/88/Supp/3
valuable expedition in Australian
history.
Hume and Hovell had agreed before
the trip began that Hovell would take
the measurements and write the daily
journal of their travels. Dr Bland’s
book was largely based on Hovell’s
journal, plus a map and some notes
separately made by Hume.
Bland’s book was carefully
objective, gave equal credit to both
men, and gave no hint of any quarrel
between them.
Hume and Hovell both received
land grants and enjoyed a reasonable
degree of prosperity and fame. Bland’s
book remained the only published
account of their journey, and might
not have been questioned if Hovell
had not returned to Corio Bay. In
1853, he accepted an invitation from
the citizens of Geelong to celebrate
the 29th anniversary of the Hume and
Hovell expedition.
Overwhelmed by the spirit, and
perhaps the spirits, of the occasion,
the 67-year-old Hovell told the
audience how wonderful it was “that
I should live to be among the
children of the land of my adopting
and that these children should, with
one accord, meet and acknowledge
me as the discoverer of their fine
country.”
Hume had always been irritated by
references to the ‘Hovell and Hume
Expedition’, as it was at first called.
When he read the press reports of
Hovell’s remarks, he thought he was
being written out of history
altogether, and he burst into print
with ‘Brief Statement of Facts in
Connection with an Overland
Expedition from Lake George to Port
Phillip in 1824–1825’.
The pamphlet portrayed Hovell as a
useless and cowardly scourge who
could not be trusted to walk out of
the camp without getting lost.
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According to Hume, the entire expedition had been a
battle of wills, with Hovell constantly wanting to turn
back. He said that Hovell would never have crossed the
Murrumbidgee if he, Hume, had not created a boat by
wrapping his cart in a tarpaulin; that Hovell went out and
got lost at Wee Jasper and was found two days later
heading back in the wrong direction towards Yass; that
Hovell had wanted to head due south into the Snowy
Mountains until Hume made him follow west; that Hovell
had refused to cross the Mitta River and tried to stop the
expedition until Hume seized Hovell’s servant by the
throat and said he would pitch him in the river unless he
crossed it in the leaky tarpaulin boat.
Hovell published a reply which contradicted Hume
point blank on every important point. Clearly, one of
them wasn’t telling the truth.
Unfortunately for Hovell, Hume had also obtained and
printed statements from three convicts who had given
outstanding service on the expedition and later became
highly respected members of the community.
Thomas Boyd, James Fitzpatrick and Henry Angel not
only agreed with Hume’s version, but went further, each
adding their own colourful details. Henry Angel said
Hume and Hovell went separate ways when they sighted
the Snowy Mountains.
Before they parted they had a row about who was to have
the tent. They were going to cut it in two, but Mr Hume let
Mr Hovell have it. Then they quarrelled about the frying
pan, and broke it in pulling at it. It was not long, however,
before Mr Hovell came after us, a few hours or a day.
Captain William Hovell carved his name on this tree on November 17,
1824. Alongside was another tree into which Hume carved his name but
sadly this tree was destroyed by fire in the 1840s. Photo courtesy of the Albury
City Council.
Walkers on the Hume and Hovell Track are able to cross the
Goobarragandra River on a swing bridge, rather than having to ford it as
the explorers did. Photo courtesy of Department of Lands NSW.
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This story didn’t do much for either explorer’s
reputation when it was published. Neither did the whole
controversy, but history’s verdict has clearly been in
favour of Hume. He was undoubtedly the greater explorer,
and he has been duly honoured on the map. Except, that
is, for the Hume River, which Sturt named the Murray, an
unworthy act for which he later apologised to Hume.
Hovell’s reputation has suffered, perhaps to an unjust
degree. It is pretty clear that Hovell represented himself in
his journal of the expedition as playing a different and
stronger role than he actually did.
Still, Hume had agreed that Hovell should write the
journal. Most later explorers made it a rule that if they led
the expedition, they wrote the book. Naturally they cast
themselves in the best possible light.
Hume’s problem was that he was not the leader, at least
not in theory. He was a joint venturer with Hovell. He
probably had misgivings about Hovell from the beginning,
but he needed his contribution. Otherwise the expedition
could not have gone.
With decent support from the government, Hume would
not have had to take an unsuitable partner. The weak
Brisbane and the malicious Oxley were more to blame
than Hovell, who had the enterprise to put up half the
cost and the courage to go on an obviously dangerous
mission.
Hovell thought that in return he deserved half the glory.
Hume was prepared to share that much, but he exploded
when he thought Hovell was trying to take it all. What
followed was far from sweetness and light, but it certainly
made a major Australian exploration even more
interesting. ◆
COOMA COTTAGE
Cooma Cottage, near Yass in NSW, the house in which Hamilton Hume lived during the latter
part of his life.
The monument to Hume and Hovell at Sunbury.
The inscription reads: Decr 1924. Erected by
the residents of the district in memory of the
explorers Hume and Hovell who camped near
this site on the 14th and 20th of December
1824.
Heritage
Touring
The route of Hume and Hovell
from Yass to Corio Bay offers an
interesting range of heritage and
bushwalking experiences. The
Hume & Hovell Walking Track
follows the explorers’ footsteps for
440 km from Cooma Cottage near
Yass to Albury, assisted by detailed
maps that show the explorers’
original route and campsites. Three
major trackheads offer car-based
camping and interesting day walks
in either direction or, for the
experienced hiker, 17 campsites are
located at a day’s walk apart along
the entire route.
For more information contact the
track coordinator, Warwick Hull, at
the Department of Lands on (02)
6937 2700.
In Victoria, the route taken by
Hume and Hovell is marked by a
series of 37 memorials, each with
inscriptions about the significance
of their site, built in 1924 to
celebrate the centenary of the
expedition.
On the banks of the Yass River near
Gunning, Cooma Cottage stands in
the heart of the rich sheep-grazing
country which attracted pioneers in
the early 1820s and 1830s. The
original colonial bungalow forms part
of the earliest complex of dwellings
and stables on the site and was built
by pioneering pastoralist, Cornelius
O’Brien.
The original timber cottage built
by O’Brien and his wife Rebecca in
1835 was a simple, three-room,
colonial weatherboard bungalow with
a verandah. It looked north over the
Yass River with a pretty garden in
front.
Writer Thomas Walker described
Cooma Cottage as “a very nice and
commodious cottage, very will [sic]
furnished with everything
comfortable about it; the grounds and
garden nicely laid out, but as yet
quite in their infancy.”
Cornelius sold the house to Hume,
who is said to have fallen in love
with the site while camping
overnight on his journey to Port
Phillip Bay with William Hovell.
Hume purchased the cottage and
100 acres in 1839 for £600 and
decided to make it a home befitting
his status as a well-known explorer
and grazier. He undertook eight
building programs to extend the
modest cottage into a grand
homestead, adding 17 rooms,
Palladian-style wings and a Greek
revival portico over a 21-year period.
The range and diversity of building
materials used was exceptional –
roofing of shingle, weatherboard, iron
tiles and corrugated iron, walls of
weatherboard, brick nogging (timber
frames with brick infill), lath-andplaster, solid plaster, dirt floors,
timber, flagging bricks and brick
pavers among them.
The gardens contain many notable
19th century trees and shrubs
(including one of the oldest and
largest olive trees in Australia), with
vistas of sheep-grazing pastures. The
property is furnished with pieces from
early colonial times, including a
cedar secretaire, two demilune side
tables and a fine dining table on loan
from the Yass Historical Society.
Original wallpapers have been
recreated.
After Hume’s death in 1873, the
property remained in his family for a
number of years. In the 1890s, it was
briefly turned into ‘The New
Nordrach Institute for Consumption’
for the treatment of patients with
pulmonary tuberculosis. It was then
sold to the Bawden family and later
tenanted. The last owner was a
reserved bachelor, Jack Bourke.
The National Trust of Australia
(NSW) acquired Cooma Cottage in a
derelict condition in 1970 and has
since carried out an extensive
conservation program of restoration,
repairs and interpretation to the
house and gardens.
Today, the homestead contains
displays relating to Hume’s early
explorations in the Yass area. Visitors
can take a guided tour and are
encouraged to walk freely though the
house. There are educational programs
for school children and the property’s
extensive grounds are suitable for
picnics and pleasant walks.
Cooma Cottage is open daily
Thursday to Monday from 10:00 a.m.
to 4:00 p.m. (closed Christmas Day).
Groups/bus tours are welcome by
appointment. Lunches/morning/
afternoon teas by arrangement.
Admission: National Trust members
free, adults $5, seniors/concession $3
and families $12. For more
information: (02) 6226 1470 or
www.nsw.nationaltrust.org.au
Australian Heritage 63