REPORT OF THE GOVERNMENT BOTANIST. 
Sir, 
Botanic Gardens, Melbourne, 
5th September, 1853. 
In obedience to His Excellency’s command, I have the honor to 
transmit to you my General Report, partly compiled from those documents 
which I forwarded on several occasions during my journey, from February 
until June last, and partly resting on the subsequent examination of the 
specimens Avhich I brought home. 
Before I enter into any details on the classification of our indigenous 
vegetable world, on its relation in comparison with the plants of the adjacent 
countries, and on the practical uses to which we might possibly apply many of 
its productions, it may be considered necessary to delineate the route which I 
pursued during my last expedition. 
I proceeded, at first, with deviations from the usual road wherever it 
appeared favourable for my pursuits, to Putter’s Range, which rears, like some 
other granitic mountains in its vicinity, a host of very peculiar plants. Thence 
I directed my course to May Day Hills, from which place I advanced, after a 
brief stay, to the Buffalo Ranges, where I ascended Mount Aberdeen and 
another peak more than 4,000 feet high, and examined the rich, almost 
tropical, vegetation which borders the rivers rising in these mountains. It was 
in this locality that our exertions were rewarded with the discovery of the high, 
majestic Grevillea Victoria, and other rarities. Indications of gold have been 
observed here, as well as in some parts of Gipps’ Land whicli I subsequently 
visited. The Superintendent of the Melbourne Botanic Gardens, who was 
engaged during this paid of the journey in collecting seeds, here parted from 
me, being obliged to return homeward to resume his duties at the Botanic 
Gardens. 
As Mount Aberdeen offered hardly any plants of a true Alpine character, 
I resolved to ascend Mount B idler, whose summits, at an elevation of more 
than 5,000 feet, are covered throughout the greater part of the year with 
snow. Travelling quite alone since leaving the Buffalo Ranges, the ascent 
was not accomplished without considerable danger. But I was delight ed to 
observe here, for th e fir st time, this continent’s Alpine ve getation, which in 
some degree presented itself as analagous with the Alpine flora of Tasmania 
(Ranunculus Gunuianus, Euryomyrtus alpina, Celmisia asielifolia, Gentiana 
Diemensis, Podocarpus montana, Trisetum antarcticum, &c.), and wdiich was 
also by no means destitute of its own peculiar species (Phebalium podo- 
carpoides, Goodenia cordifolia, Hovea gelida, Oxylobium alpestre, Brachjmome 
nivalis, Anisotome glacialis, &c.) Remarkably enough, only one of these 
exhibits any similarity to the singular subalpine forms discovered by Sir 
Thomas Mitchell on the Australian Grampians. Mount Bulle r had 
before been scientifically explored ; and Mount Aberdeen, up to this time, had 
not even been ascended. 
After some other less elevated mountains in the neighbourhood had 
been also botanically examined, I resumed my journey along the Goulburii 
River and some of its tributaries to the King Parrot Creek, where I crossed 
the Yarra Ranges. The unusually heavy rainfall in the autumn wmuld have 
frustrated any attempt to reach, as I then contemplated, the Alpine mountains 
of Gipps’ Laud, and I considered it therefore more advisable, at the aheady 
advanced season, to devote my time rather to the examination of the maritime 
plants which are in an almost equal state of development throughout the ycai. 
hfw ii? sc/ence 
M 
