EXCURSION TOWARDS PORT PHILLIP. 1836
Volume 2 Chapter: 3.12
EXCURSION TOWARDS PORT PHILLIP.
September 30.
Compelled thus to await the repair of the boat-carriage I determined to make an excursion to the lofty mountain mass which appeared about
thirty miles to the southward, in order that I might connect my survey with Port Phillip, which I hoped to see thence. The horses were not found as soon as they were required, but when we at last got
upon their backs we were therefore less disposed to spare them.
DISCOVER AND CROSS THE RIVER BARNARD.
We crossed some soft hollows during the first few miles, and then arrived on the banks of a small and deep river with reeds on its borders,
and containing many broad and deep reaches.
It was full and flowed, but not rapidly, towards the north-east, and it was not until we had continued along the left bank of this stream for a
considerable way upwards that we found a rapid where we could cross without swimming.
The left bank was of bold acclivity but grassy and clear of timber, being very level on the summit; and I found
it consisted of trap-rock of the same vesicular character which I had observed in so many other parts of this southern region.
Beyond the river (which I then named the Barnard) we first encountered a hilly country from which we emerged rather unexpectedly; for after crossing a small rivulet flowing in a deep and grassy dell
where trap-rock again appeared, and ascending the opposite slope, we found that the summit consisted of an open level country of the finest description. It was covered with the best kind of grass and
the immediate object of our ride, the mountain, was now visible beyond these rich plains.
Some fine forest-hills arose in various directions to the right and left, and indeed I never saw a more pleasing or promising portion of territory.
The rich open ground across which we rode was not without slight undulations; and when we had traversed about four miles of it we came quite unawares to a full and flowing stream, nearly on a level
with its grassy banks; the bottom being so sound that we forded it without the least difficulty.
EMUS NUMEROUS AND TAME.
Emus were very numerous on the downs and their curiosity brought them to stare at our horses, apparently unconscious of the presence of the
biped on their backs whom both birds and beasts seem instinctively to avoid.
In one flock I counted twenty-nine emus, and so near did they come to us that, having no rifle with me, I was tempted to
discharge even my pistol at one, although without effect. Kangaroos were equally numerous.
Having proceeded three miles beyond the stream we came to another flowing to the westward between some very
deep ponds, and it was probably a tributary to the first.
THE RIVER CAMPASPE.
At twenty-two miles from the camp, on descending from some finely undulating open ground, we arrived at a stream flowing westward, which I
judged to be also a branch of that we had first crossed. Its bed consisted of granitic rocks and on the left bank I found trap.
We had this stream afterwards in sight on our left until, at two miles
further, we again crossed it and entered a wood of eucalyptus, being then only five miles distant from the mountain, and we subsequently found that this wood extended to its base.
EFFECTS OF A STORM IN THE WOODS.
The effects of some violent hurricane from the north were visible under every tree, the earth being covered with broken branches, some of
which were more than a foot in diameter; the withering leaves remained upon them, and I remarked that no whole trees had been blown down, although almost all had lost their principal limbs and not a
few had been reduced to bare poles.
The havoc which the storm had made gave an unusual aspect to the whole of the forest land, so universally was it covered with withering branches. Whether this region is subject to frequent
visitations of a like nature I could not of course then ascertain; but I perceived that many of the trees had lost some of their top limbs at a much earlier period in a similar manner.
Neither had this been but a partial tempest, for to the very base of the mountain the same effects were visible. The trees on its side were of a much grander character than those in the forest, and
consisted principally of black-butt and bluegum eucalypti measuring from six to eight feet in diameter. The rock was syenite, so weathered as to resemble sandstone.
ASCEND MOUNT MACEDON.
I ascended without having been obliged to alight from my horse, and I found that the summit was very spacious, being covered towards the
south with tree-ferns, and the musk-plant grew in great luxuriance. I saw also many other plants found at the Illawarra, on the eastern coast of the colony of New South Wales. The summit was full of
wombat holes and, unlike that side by which I had ascended, it was covered with the dead trunks of enormous trees in all stages of decay.
PORT PHILLIP DIMLY SEEN FROM IT.
I had two important objects in view in ascending this hill; one being to determine its position trigonometrically as a point likely to be
seen from the country to which I was going, where it might be useful to me in fixing other points; the other being to obtain a view of Port Phillip, and thus to connect my survey with that
harbour.
But the tree-fern, musk-plant, brush, and lofty timber together shut us up for a long time from any prospect of the low country to the southward, and it was not until I had nearly exhausted a fine
sunny afternoon in wandering round the broad summit that I could distinguish and recognise some of the hills to the westward; and when I at length obtained a glimpse of the country towards the coast
the features of the earth could scarcely be distinguished from the sky or sea, although one dark point looked more like a cape than a cloud and seemed to remain steady.
With my glass I perceived that water lay inside of that cape and that low plains extended northward from the water. I next discovered a hilly point outside of the cape or towards the sea; and on
descending the hill to where the trees grew less thickly I obtained an uninterrupted view of the whole piece of water.
As the sun went down the distant horizon became clearer towards the coast and I intersected at length the two capes; also one at the head of the bay and several detached hills.
I perceived distinctly the course of the Exe and Arundell rivers and a line of mangrove trees along the low shore.
In short I at length recognised Port Phillip and the intervening country around it at a distance afterwards ascertained to be upwards of fifty miles from Indented Head, which proved to be the first
cape I had seen; that outside (at A) being Point Nepean on the east side of the entrance to this bay.
At that vast distance I could trace no signs of life about this harbour. No stockyards, cattle, nor even smoke, although at the highest northern point of the bay I saw a mass of white objects which
might have been either tents or vessels.
I perceived a white speck, which I took for breakers or white sand, on the projecting point of the north-eastern shore. (B.)
On that day nine years exactly I first beheld the heads of Port Jackson, a rather singular coincidence.
Thus the mountain on which I stood became an important point in my survey, and I gave it the name of Mount Macedon, with reference to that of Port Phillip.* It had been long dark before I reached the
base of the mountain and picked out a dry bit of turf on which to lie down for the night.
(*Footnote. Geboor is the native name of this hill, as since ascertained by my friend Captain King, and it is a much better one, having fewer letters and being aboriginal.)
Extracted From:
THREE EXPEDITIONS INTO THE INTERIOR OF EASTERN AUSTRALIA; WITH DESCRIPTIONS OF THE RECENTLY EXPLORED REGION OF AUSTRALIA FELIX,
AND OF THE PRESENT COLONY OF NEW SOUTH WALES. BY MAJOR T.L. MITCHELL, F.G.S. and M.R.G.S. SURVEYOR-GENERAL. SECOND EDITION, CAREFULLY REVISED. IN TWO VOLUMES. VOLUME 2. LONDON:
T. and W. BOONE, NEW BOND STREET.
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