In 1854 Surveyor Robert Austin led an expedition east and then north to the Murchison River.

Disasters from a gun accident, poison plants, and thirst plagued the party. Many months and tribulations later they reached the Geraldine Mine on the lower Murchison.

Austin's exploration inspired others to prospect the desert for both grass and gold, culminating in the opening of the area in the 1880s for pastoralism, followed by the discovery of rich goldfields.

More than 150 years after his arduous and hazardous journey, Austin is now placed among the premier explorers of the Australian outback.

To be published 2009.