Kennedy's
Final Expedition
In 1848 the Assistant-Surveyor
of New South Wales, Edmund Kennedy, led
an expedition to explore Cape York Peninsula.
In the previous year he had discovered the
Thomson River and established that the Barcoo
River was part of Cooper's Creek.
Arriving at Rockingham Bay (north of Townsville)
in May, Kennedy's party, after much privation
and toil, reached Weymouth Bay, where they
established a depot.Kennedy, with four others,
Costigan, Dunn, Luff, and a native, Jacky
Jacky, left this depot in an endeavour to
reach Cape York, where a relief ship was
expected. Kennedy and Jacky Jacky continued
north, after leaving the others at Shelburne
Bay.
Only the native reached Cape York, for in
a skirmish with blacks Kennedy was killed.
Jacky Jacky guided the ship's relief party
to Shelburne Bay, but Costigan, Dunn, and
Luff had perished. At the Weymouth Bay depot,
only two survivors were found [namely, Carron & Godard, gd].
Detailed
Description of RBR's Carron copy
