CHAPTER LXIV 



MULLIGAN'S FIFTH EXPEDITION, 1875 

 COOKTOWN TO JUNCTION CREEK 



GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE. MULLIGAN'S COMPANIONS. His EQUIPMENT. His OFFICIAL 

 REPORT ISSUED WITHOUT THE EXPLANATORY MAP. LEAVES COOKTOWN, 2QTH 

 APRIL, 1875. COWARD'S TRACK. NORMANBY DIGGINGS. LAKE CREEK. COUNTRY 

 OCCUPIED ON HEAD OF LAURA. OVER RANGE TO THE PALMER. NEW TRACK 



NOW USED BY DlGCERS. ACROSS THE ST. GEORGE TO THE MlTCHELL RlVER. 



EASTERN HODGKINSON RIVER. CAMP 7. NEW AURIFEROUS COUNTRY. UP 

 MORAN CREEK. GOLD. THROUGH HANN'S RANGE TO THE BARRON. THE 

 HEAD OF THE MITCHELL RIVER. THE BARRON FORMERLY THE HEAD OF THE 

 MITCHELL. GEOLOGICAL CAUSE OF ALTERATION OF ITS COURSE, EROSION OF 

 GORGE AND DISCHARGE INTO TRINITY BAY. ALLUVIAL PLAIN COMMON TO THE 

 BARRON AND THE HEAD OF THE MITCHELL. THE PARTY EXPLORE EAST OF THE 

 BARRON. DISCOVER GOLD, WHICH SUBSEQUENTLY PROVED TO BE PAYABLE. 

 TINAROO DIGGINGS. BASALTIC COUNTRY. RECROSS TO LEFT BANK OF BARRON. 

 RICH SCRUB LANDS. CEDAR, KAURI PINE AND STINGING TREE. NATIVE TRACKS 

 AND DWELLINGS. ATHERTON. ON THE RANGE WHERE BARRON, HERBERT AND 

 WALSH WATERS DIVIDE. CAMP 21 AT MOOMIN ON WILD RIVER (HEAD OF 

 HERBERT RIVER). DISCOVERY OF TIN ORE. BEGINNINGS AND PROGRESS OF 

 TIN-MINING INDUSTRY. EXTENSION OF RAILWAYS THROUGH NEW MINING 

 DISTRICT. HERBERTON. JACK AND NEWELL. JOHN MOFFAT. DOWN THE WILD 

 RIVER. CROSS NEW ROAD FROM CARDWELL TO PALMER. NEWELLTON. LEAVX 

 WILD RIVER FOR MOUNT SURPRISE. NETTLE CREEK (TIN). INNOT HOT SPRINGS. 

 RETURN CREEK (TiN). MULLIGAN NOW RECOGNISES THE WILD RIVER TO BE THE 

 HERBERT, HAVING PREVIOUSLY REGARDED IT AS THE HEAD OF THE BARRON, 

 WHICH HE MISTOOK FOR THE MlTCHELL. PASTORAL LAND. PoiSON PLANT 

 AND THE HORSES. MULLIGAN CREEK. EXPEDITION CREEK. THE SO-CALLED 

 " GREAT DIVIDING RANGE." THE LYND RIVER. LEICHHARDT'S TRACKS. ST. 

 RONANS STATION. KNOWN LANDMARKS. OLD FOSSILBROOK STATION. HANN'S 

 STARTING-POINT. MOUNT SURPRISE STATION. ARRIVE AT JUNCTION CREEK 

 TELEGRAPH STATION AND REPORT TO BRISBANE. EFFECTS OF POISON PLANT ON 

 HORSES. NATIVE DEPREDATIONS AMONG STATION HORSES. 



IN four trips, on the first of which he proved that the gold 

 first discovered by Hann on the Palmer River was present in 

 payable quantities, Mulligan had exhausted the attractions 

 of the district, for he was a man who could not be happy as 

 long as he was in sight of a landmark already known to him. 



These FOUR TRIPS were undertaken AT HIS OWN EXPENSE, or 

 at all events without aid from the State, although it is possible 

 that some of his companions may have contributed towards the 



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