COLONY OF NOETH AUSTRALIA. 51 



In January^ 1847, the recently proposed colony 

 of " North Australia " was established by a party 

 from Sydney^ under Lieut.-Col. Barney, R.E., with 

 a suitable staff of public functionaries. The colonists 

 encountered more than usual difficulties and hard- 

 ships even at the commencement. The transport 

 conveying- the first portion of the party, consisting 

 of eig-hty-eight persons, struck on the shoal off Gat- 

 combe Head, and required to be hove down, a fit 

 spot for which purpose was fortunately found in a 

 narrow but deep mangrove creek further up the 

 harbour, at a place indicated upon the Rattlesnake's 

 chart. The party were at first encamped upon the 

 south end of Facing Island, but afterwards removed 

 to the main land, upon a site for the new township 

 of Gladstone having been chosen there. The settle- 

 ment, however, was abandoned, after a short-lived 

 existence of five months, in obedience to orders 

 received from home, consequent upon a change in 

 the plans of Government regarding the disposal of 

 convicts, for " North Australia " had been originally 

 intended to be a penal settlement, or one for the 

 reception of '^ exiles." The expenses incurred by 

 this experiment amounted to upwards of £15,000. 



The survey of the harbour and its approaches 

 occupied a period of three weeks. Althoug-h this 

 work had ceased to be one of immediate importance, 

 yet it will eventually be of considerable benefit to 

 the colony of New South Wales, as the gradual 

 extension of the squatting stations to the northward 



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