Charles Sturt was born at the height of the British Empire. He would be a young man when Napoleon was defeated, and all was clear for British dominance across the globe.
He would be known for his accomplishments in Australia and would serve many times on the Legislative Council.
At the end of his life, he became well-known as a famous explorer in Australia with the many discoveries he made to their river systems.
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- #1. Charles Sturt Was Born In British India
- #2. After Napoleon's Loss, He Would Go To Australia
- #3. Sturt Wanted To Explore The Continent's Rivers
- #4. His Second Expedition Was More Successful But More Dangerous
- #5. Sturt Began To Go Blind
- #6. He Suffered A Setback In Australia Prior To His Final Expedition
- #7. Charles Sturt Made One Final Expedition Into The Center of Australia
- #8. Charles Sturt Died Suddenly
#1. Charles Sturt Was Born In British India
Charles Sturt was born to a father in Bengal, British India, and was the oldest of 13 children. He would be sent to live in England and get an education, and despite his excellent grades, he was unable to go to Cambridge University due to his father not having the funds.
Instead, he would join the British Army and would see action throughout the globe, fighting in the Peninsula War and the War of 1812.
#2. After Napoleon's Loss, He Would Go To Australia
Sturt's first experience in Australia began 12 years after the Battle of Waterloo when he was still a young man. It would be at this time he developed his love for the future Land Down Under.
He fell in love with the temperament, which he found satisfying compared to what he had experienced. This may be due to his service in Canada, which is known for its frigid climate.
He would also make an important connection when he befriended Governor Sir Ralph Darling. Darling would think highly of him, and his relationship would lay the foundation for Sturt's future expeditions.
#3. Sturt Wanted To Explore The Continent's Rivers
Sturt's immediate passion was the river system throughout the continent. Governor Darling would give him the approval to begin his expeditions.
The party began its expedition on November 10, 1828. Sturt's initial objective was to explore the area of the Macquarie River with an interesting group made up of his servant, three soldiers, and eight criminals. He would be joined by fellow explorer Hamilton Hume later in the month.
Hume was important to Sturt due to his experience.
They would deal with drought and insufficient water supply and proved that northern New South Wales was not an inland sea, but did not solve where the west-flowing rivers went.
#4. His Second Expedition Was More Successful But More Dangerous
Governor Darling Approved a second expedition in which Charles Sturt wanted to travel down the Murrumbidgee River.
This time, a whaleboat was built in sections and carried with them. When the whaleboat was finished, they embarked on their expedition on January 7, 1830.
The first situation that Sturt encountered was aggressive Aborigines. This occurred multiple times throughout the journey, but Sturt was able to appease them, and they did not interfere with or hurt the party.
Sturt then went down the Murray River and reached the confluence with the Darling River. At this point, he knew he was on to something because he had proved that the western rivers flowed into the Murray soon after he reached a large lake, which he named Lake Alexandria.
Once they reached Lake Alexandria, they continued and made it to the Antarctic Ocean or the Southern Ocean as it was known back then.
After their discovery, they began their journey back, which would be their final difficulty on the trip. The mouth of the Murray was impassable by ship, so the whaleboat they had built and carried could not be used on the first portion back.
When they did put the whaleboat in the water, they had to go upstream, which was extremely difficult, especially in the heat of the Australian summer. The party faced starvation along the way and eventually made it back to Sydney.
#5. Sturt Began To Go Blind
Charles Sturt faced consequences after his perilous expedition. He went blind for several months and took a break from exploring to try and recuperate his health. While he recovered some, he never fully recovered his eyesight for the rest of his life.
He sailed back to England, where he would marry Charlotte Christiana Greene. After acquiring some land in Australia, the two sailed back to work the land.
#6. He Suffered A Setback In Australia Prior To His Final Expedition
Sturt served briefly as the Registrar-General, but he soon proposed a major expedition with Henry Bryan into the interior of Australia as a way of restoring his reputation in the colony and London.
Two days late, while riding in very hot weather, with their water supply dwindling, both the men and horses were suffering.
During the return journey to the river, Bryan's horse was slow and was lagging behind the main group. When a dust storm occurred, Bryan got lost, was separated from his horse, and most likely died.
His body was never recovered, although a massive search was conducted over eight days to find him. Days later, both the Governor and the remainder of the party reached Adelaide on 28 December.
Though Bryan was never found, his horse returned after several months.
#7. Charles Sturt Made One Final Expedition Into The Center of Australia
He believed that there was a great salt lake that could be discovered in the middle of Australia and set out on his expedition to find this lake.
He traveled along familiar paths he had been before but quickly had trouble with the summer heat, which resulted in stalling him for months.
When the weather let up, he continued north and established Fort Grey. He pushed forward toward the center of Australia, but when he developed scurvy, he was forced to return. His surgeon, John Harris Browne, led the party back.
#8. Charles Sturt Died Suddenly
After returning from his final expedition, he would return to England for a short period of time, write a book about his adventures, and then return to Australia, where he would live out his life.
He returned in 1849 and would be given the position of Colonial Secretary.
By the 1860s, his sons were serving in the military, and in 1864, his son Evelyn Gawler Sturt died from cholera while serving in India. When news came back to Charles, he went into a depression.
In March 1869, he applied for Knighthood but would die suddenly on June 16, 1863. While his death was sudden, it was not unexpected. He had endured failing health for many years.
His wife was given the title Lady Sturt, which made the assumption that he was knighted by Queen Victoria.