1873 Warburton

In 1873 Peter Egerton Warburton was financed by Sir Thomas Elder and set out to make a crossing from the Overland Telegraph Line to Perth.  He was equipped with 17 camels and accompanied by two Afghan cameleers, Richard Warburton (the leader's son), JW Lewis and Dennis White as cook and Charley, an Aboriginal man. 

They left Alice Springs 15 April 1873. The explorers were continually forced north in the search for water. A chance encounter led them to the native wells which Warburton named after the Battle of Waterloo. The party continued north-north-west and located Mary Springs, Bishop's Glen and Oakover River. By the time Joanna Spring was found the expedition had only five camels left, after having eaten a few. On Christmas Day 1873 the expedition ate its last camel. Warburton's expedition was of no positive value to either South Australia or Western Australia, revealing only the extent of the desert lands in the area between the Telegraph Line and the Oakover River.

For more information about this expedition see Taking it to the edge: Land: Peter Egerton Warburton.