William Landsborough

Journal of Landsborough's Expedition from Carpentaria, in Search of Burke and Wills (Dodo Press) William Landsborough

William Landsborough (1825-1886) was an explorer. He was born in Ayrshire, Scotland and went to Australia when a young man. In August 1861 he was placed in charge of an expedition to search for Burke and Wills, starting from the Gulf of Carpentaria. In the following November, Landsborough was presented with a service of plate valued at £500, and subsequently visited India and Europe. The Royal Geographical Society presented him with a gold watch for finding a practicable route from the north to the south of Australia. Landsborough returned to Australia and in 1865 became a member of the Queensland legislative council for one session. Towards the end of that year he was appointed police magistrate for the district of Burke. Finding Burketown extremely unhealthy he made Sweers Island his headquarters and from there did much local exploring. In June 1872, he was made inspector of brands for the Moreton district and held this position for the remainder of his life.