Stevenston's Australian Explorer (William Landsborough)

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Hughie
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Stevenston's Australian Explorer (William Landsborough)

Post by Hughie »

A few weeks ago while on holiday we took a tour of the inland on the Sunshine Coast of Queensland. The first town we past through was Landsborough. the bus driver simply said the town was named after a man who herded some cattle there.

I knew there was more to this than that, so when we had a stop I told the driver a few other things that he might include on future tours about the Landsborough name. I included that they were Scottish and William's father Dr David Landsborough was quiet famous in Scotland, particularly in Stevenston and Saltcoats. For amongst other things he compiling three very early censuses for the district commencing in 1819. These are published on our website

William Landsborough's biography can be found on the following page:
http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A050064b.htm
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Hughie
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Re: Stevenston's Australian Explorer (William Landsborough)

Post by Hughie »

Heard his name mentioned today on the radio in connection with a new book coming out about a strange disease that almost wiped out an Australian settlement. Found the following:
To escape the disease, the then-police magistrate and customs officer William Landsborough decided to move the township offshore to Sweers Island.
More here

And HERE from the Burke & Wills online digital research archive, more details on William Landsborough and it includes his expedition journal.

Related topic here on our threetowners forum
Jim McCreadie
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Re: Stevenston's Australian Explorer (William Landsborough)

Post by Jim McCreadie »

Running northwest–southeast from Morven to Cloncurry in Western Queensland, the Landsborough Highway (1,049Kms 652Mls) extends through vast tracts of land once occupied by William Landsborough, the 19th century Australian explorer.
Q98
32.04'.04"S 115.48'30"E

"What language are you talking in now? It appears to be Bo**ocks."
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