ANNIVERSAET ADDRESS. 13 



Murray, wMcli they jointly discovered, and in after years this 

 gave rise to a controversy between the explorers, which, as in 

 many other similar cases, called forth much needless acrimony. 



A very fair account of the work done by these " first Over- 

 landers," as they are named by one of your recently elected 

 Honorary Members, the Eev. Julian E. Tenison "Woods, in his 

 " History of the Discovery and Exploration of Australia," gives 

 to Mr. Hume the distinction of leader ; and he was so in more 

 senses than one, having first discovered the country round 

 Berrima, at the age of seventeen, in the year 1814, and afterwards 

 Lake Bathurst in 1817, and for these he received a grant of 300 

 acres of land. 



The Murrumbidgee had been discovered by Currie and Ovens 

 in 1823, before Hume and Ho veil started on the overland route 

 to Port Phillip, during which the latter two had discovered the 

 Southern Alps and various rivers flowing from them. 



Mr. Woods says justly : — "Their expedition was, without doubt, 

 one of the most important made in Australia, as far as the value of 

 the country discovered is concerned. The New South Wales 

 Government fully appreciated this, and Messrs. Hume and Hovell 

 were both rew^arded by a grant of land of 1,200 acres each." Mr. 

 Hovell afterwards explored the "Western Port district, which they 

 were at first commissioned to visit, and which Hovell fancied he 

 had reached when the party arrived at Port Phillip. 



It is not worth our while now to discuss the controversy 

 respecting the share each may have had in first making out any 

 particular part of the country traversed. As their initials were 

 cut on two neighbouring trees not far from what is now Geelong, 

 and, I believe, were not long since recognizable, no doubt can 

 exist that both were sharers in the labour and toil of the whole 

 exploration, Mr. Hovell therefore should have his share of credit. 

 Though the name of " Hume Eiver" was afterwards supplanted by 

 Captain Sturt's name " The Murray," and Hovell's name given 

 by himself to the " Goulburn" still retains the name assigned to 

 it by Hume, yet Mr. Hovell deserves remembrance by ourselves 



