The Second Burke & Wills Outback Conference
August 2005

As a result of the fantastic response to the first Burke & Wills Outback Conference held in Cloncurry two years ago, the second Conference was held in Bedourie last weekend. This four day event started with a two day desert expedition which saw historians and enthusiasts gathering in Birdsville to follow the Burke and Wills trail along the Diamantina and then across the gibber plains, claypans and sandhills to Bedourie. This was followed by two days of speeches and presentations and the Annual General Meeting of the Burke and Wills Historical Society.

Weekend expedition.
The actual route Burke and Wills followed once they left Camp LXXVIII on the Diamantina River is unknown and one of the most intensely debated issues. As the party’s surveyor, it was Wills responsibility to record the route and this he did, writing detailed notes and observations of their progress and making a map. However Wills' map and some of his journals containing astronomical observations have been lost. Because the journals have never been transcribed it means the Expedition's track north of the Diamantina, through the gibber rises, confused sand dunes and extensive claypans, is a matter for conjecture.

During the past decade, there have been a number of groups searching for evidence of the Expedition's track in this area. This gathering of enthusiasts saw many of these groups pooling resources, knowledge and information over the weekend. Discussions commenced during "Happy Hour" at the Birdsville Hotel and continued around campfires by the Diamantina until late into the night. Saturday morning saw a convoy of vehicles depart town. Several sites along the Diamantina were visited, maps and gps's were studied, blazes were inspected and innumerable photographs were taken. The convoy wound its way north, encountering a few obstacles which saw snatch straps, chains and wheel braces called into action. Camp was made in a remote location where the day’s events and discoveries were discussed and plans made for the following day.

On Sunday the group split in order to cover as much territory as possible before meeting up with Robbie Dare, mayor of Diamantina Shire, who had an exciting new discovery to show. (This discovery was reported in the Weekend Australian of 27th August 2005, p7). Robbie has uncovered the remains of a camel which he believes is old enough to be one of the six camels Burke and Wills took north from the Cooper in 1860. This was a highlight of the weekend, the group gathered around the windswept remains, discussing various theories under the wide outback sky.

Bedourie Conference.
The formal part of the Conference began in Bedourie on Monday morning. The speakers represented a diverse mix and presentations looked at National Heritage, Leichhardt's trail, the reliability of blazed trees and explorer-Aborigine interaction. Dinner that night was hosted at the Simpson Desert Oasis in Bedourie, and outback hospitality (combined with whip-cracking and Elvis impersonations), meant the party continued well into the night.

The Burke & Wills Historical Society (Inc.).
The first Annual General Meeting of the recently formed Burke and Wills Historical Society was held on Tuesday morning. The committee was elected and membership formalised. Although only a new body, the Society has been surprised at the number of members enrolled and the interest the organisation has generated. Further speeches and presentations looked at the recent Leichhardt Symposium in Queensland, the Burke and Wills Centenary of 1860, French exploration in the Recherche Bay in Tasmania and the use of old photographs in historical research. The Conference concluded and a range of displays and photographs were exhibited.

Many thanks to all participants and all who contributed their hard work and valuable time towards making this Conference an outstanding success. Special thanks to Robbie Dare, mayor of Diamantina Shire for the excellent hospitality we received in Bedourie and to all the land owners who were very generous in allowing us access to private land.