The Explorers of Australia Project and the Collaborative Profile of the Week Present
John Joseph Oxley
For 25 years after the first settlement of Australia was founded at Sydney in 1788, the inland expansion of the colony remained hemmed in to a coastal basin of land by the rugged Blue Mountains to the west. While not particularly high, these mountains to the west of Sydney consisted of deep, sheer sided canyons. One of the first attempts to cross the Blue Mountains was actually by a Frenchman in the employ of the British; Francis Barrallier. The further he penetrated this rugged country, the steeper the sheer sided walls became. It was not until 1813, by following the ridgetops instead of the valleys, that a group of three explorers, Blaxland, Lawson and Wentworth, discovered a route across the mountains. This led to the construction of a road the following year (Coxs Road), built with convict labour. The first inland city in Australia, Bathurst, was established in 1815.
As new settlers poured into the area there was not only demand for land but conflict with the indigenous population, the Wiradjuri.
Bathurst was used as a base for many explorations of the western plains.
One of those first explorers was John Oxley, an ex-British naval officer, the subject of this week's collaboration.
1. There is a genealogically interesting letter to the editor, from his grandson, now on Oxley’s profile. It discusses briefly his wife/wives and children. Let’s add information on these women and children to his profile.
2. The profiles for his children, and significant others need a little work, basic bios and some sources.
3. Is there any information on his parents?
4. What kind of adventures did Oxley have exploring Australia?
5. He needs to be connected to the global tree.
Can you help us with this week's profile? Please post an answer here first. This prevents duplication of effort and it keeps the question on the front page of G2G.
Thank you!
