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The Elder Scientific Exploring Expedition was financed by Sir Thomas Elder and managed by the Royal Geographical Society of Australasia (South Australian Branch). Its purpose was to explore western South Australia and into Western Australia in the search for pastoral lands and mineral resources. These areas were essentially the last unexplored parts of the continent. Each member of the expedition was given a handbook of instructions with directions for every particular of his duties. The handbook was compiled by the Society's Council which included GW Goyder the Surveyor General and Sir Charles Todd who had supervised the construction of the Overland Telegraph Line. Other members of Council were also experienced in the bush and in exploration. They also drew upon the publications of the Royal Geographical Society (London) which had been guiding and advising explorers since 1831. The handbook would provide advice for almost all contingencies, except the personal conflicts that affected the expedition.

Sir Thomas Elder was a wealthy businessman and pastoralist. In 1866 he had imported camels into South Australia and established a camel stud at Beltana. He had supported a number of individual explorers either by supplying them with his camels, or with camels and other resources. These explorers included Ernest Giles and Peter Egerton Warburton and David Lindsay. Then in 1891 he funded the large, well equipped Elder Scientific Exploring Expedition.

The Royal Geographical Society of Australasia (South Australian Branch) was established in July 1885. One of its aims was to contribute to the exploration of the remaining blank spaces on the map of Australia. The Elder Scientific Exploring Expedition was its first major effort in this direction.