Yesterday the Royal Society of Victoria celebrated the 150th anniversary of the departure of the Burke and Wills with the unveiling of a commemorative plaque at the Burke and Wills Cairn in Royal Park and a special re-enactment of their departure address. We are very proud to have been involved in organising this event which is part of a larger program of celebrations that we have worked with the Society to help deliver. We’re even more proud of the day’s success.
Speeches were made by Melbourne’s Lord Mayor, Robert Doyle; Governor of Victoria, Professor David de Kretser; Wurundjeri elder, Aunty Joy Murphy and Royal Society Chairman, Peter Thorne. Bitterly cold weather and strong gusty winds threatened to put a dampener on the occasion but a huge turn-out from the general public, including direct descendants of Burke, Wills and the original expedition party and a large media contingent ensured the day was a great success. The event attracted coverage on the ABC, national commercial radio and television, the daily newspapers, and a range of smaller independent media outlets. All in all, it was a good day at the office.
Check out photos of the event on our Facebook page here.
