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John McDouall Stuart - Second Expedition - Introduction

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Category: John McDouall Stuart - Second Expedition

Written by Laurie McArthur

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The purpose of the second expedition of John McDouall Stuart was to survey his proposed run at Chambers Creek (Stuart Creek).

Traveling with 14 horses,  Mr Stuart was accompanied by three men: David Hergott the botanist, and two stockmen, Louis Muller, and Campbell.

On completion of the survey, Stuart explored further to the north west, finding more good country. 

Although finding water was quite difficult on a few occasions, John McDouall Stuart's second expedition lacked the privations and suffering of his first expedition.

On this and subsequent expeditions, Stuart traveled up the east side of Lake Torrens, between Lake Torrens and the Flinders Ranges, bearing north west between Lake Torrens and Lake Eyre South to Chambers Creek.

Chambers Creek became an invaluable staging point for all of Stuart's expeditions.

Ironically John McDouall Stuart never fully took up his Chambers Creek run. Driven to explore and cross the continent, ill health eventually forced Stuart to sell his Chambers Creek run to Mr Barker, possibly the same Mr Barker who started out with him on the first expedition.

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