Australia Felix

"Australia Felix" by Arthur Streeton, 1907. This is, to me, a classic iconic 'Australian' image... yes, it really does look like that! Complete with that blueish/purpleish tinge about it. Even around here, in this part of the country I'm living in... there are parts of Australia that remind me of other places I have visited on my journeys - and I find that very refreshing... this is very typically atmospheric of the Australian countryside. And I'm loving it!!!

"Australia Felix (Latin for "fortunate Australia" or "happy Australia") was an early name given by Thomas Mitchell to lush pasture in parts of western Victoria he explored in 1836 on his third expedition.

On this expedition Mitchell was instructed to travel to Menindee, then down the Darling River to the sea, if it flowed there; or, if it flowed into the Murray River to go up the Murray to the inhabited parts of the colony.

However lack of water forced Mitchell to follow the Lachlan River to the south-west as the only practicable route. He reached the Murrumbidgee on 12 May and followed it to the Murray.

At the end of May, Mitchell reached the Darling and turned north upstream. He soon decided, while still about 200 km (130 miles) in a direct line from Menindee, to abandon the survey of the deserts around the Darling and to use his resources to explore the more promising country along the Murray.

Retracing his steps Mitchell went up the Murray until 20 June when he reached the junction of the Loddon where the country seemed so promising that he turned south-west into what is now Victoria and was so enchanted by the area he called it “Australia Felix”.

The reports of excellent farming land from Mitchell's return to Sydney with the news, started a land rush." (Source)

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Please note that I probably won't be posting much on this particular blog in the future, as I have happily moved my regular blogging activity elsewhere these days.

Contact me if you'd like more info about that.

Thanks.

Peas be with ewe
Cyalayta,
Mal :)

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