State Library of South Australia logo Taking it to the edge
SA Memory. South Australia past and present, for the future




The expedition nears Joanna Spring
Title : The expedition nears Joanna Spring The expedition nears Joanna Spring
Add To My SA Memory
Creator : Wells, L. A. (Lawrence Allen), 1860-1938
Source : Lawrence Allen Wells, PRG 315/4
Date of creation : 1896
Format : Diary
Contributor : State Library catalogue
Catalogue record
The State Library of South Australia is keen to find out more about SA Memory items. We encourage you to contact the Library if you have additional information about any of these items.
Copyright : This item is reproduced courtesy of Colonel David Davies. It may be printed or saved for research or study. Use for any other purpose requires written permission from Colonel David Davies and the State Library of South Australia. To request approval, complete the Permission to publish form.
Description :

The progress of the Calvert Expedition was slow, although there were now fewer sand ridges to climb. The spinifex was denser than before and made travelling more difficult. Another camel broke down and the others were struggling without the water that was so desperately needed. While the expedition was nearing the calculated position of the long sought water source at Joanna Springs, the lack of birds in the vicinity was worrying the expedition leader Larry Wells as he recorded in his diary entry for 29 October 1896.

Joanna Spring had been located by Peter Egerton Warburton in November 1873 on his expedition which attempted a crossing from the Overland Telegraph Line to Perth. Unknown to him at the time his watch/chronometer, with which he calculated his longitude, was faulty, so that the location he laid down for this and other water sources was wrong. It was this which accounted for the difficulty that the Calvert Expedition under Lawrence Wells had in locating this vital water source.
Subjects
Related names :

Wells, L.A. (Lawrence Allen), 1860-1938

Calvert Scientific Exploring Expedition (1896-1897)

Warburton, Peter Egerton, 1813-1889

Coverage year : 1896
Place : Great Sandy Desert (WA_
Further reading :
Internet links :
Exhibitions and events :

Navigation

Home

About SA Memory

Explore SA Memory

SA Memory Themes

Search

My SA Memory

Learning

What's on

Contributors