EXPLORATION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20380, 11 April 1928, Page 10

EXPLORATION.

GRAZIER’S VENTURE. TO VISIT ARNHEIM LAND. (From Our Own Correspondent.) SYDNEY, April 5. Love of exploration and adventure has again moved Mr Donald Mackay, a prominent grazier in New South Wales, to load a party through Arnheim Land, in Northern Australia. The party, four in number, will be Mr Mackay, Dr H. Basedow, a South Australian geologist and surveyor, and a member of the Parliament of that State; Mr Walter Sully, a kinema photographer who accompanied the explorer Hurley to New Guinea, and Mr Lovell, a South Australian. As on previous occasions when he has led expeditions into the interior of Australia Mr Mackay is meeting all the financial obligations of the venture. The party has already left Sydney for Darwin, which will be the base of operations. Mr Mackay states that the expedition is being made for the purpose of ascertaining if the country was suitable for tropical agriculture, and Dr Basedow would make investigations in regard to the presence; of minerals and of other matters of a geological uatui.. On arrival at Darwin the party will proceed to the railway terminus at Katherine River. Here thirty horses will be obtained, and the real journey will be commenced. Although no' definite arrangements have been made, it is expected that the excursion, which ’■ last about three months, will end at Darwin. A “ buckboard ” buggy, drawn by four horses is to be taken. This type of conveyance consists of boards between the two wheels, but it is not unlikely that before much of the journey is covered the vehicle will have to be abandoned on account of the rough nature of the country. The horses will then be used to carry provisions and gear. An eightvalve wireless receiving set is to be taken, and will be used principally for ascertaininj; the correct time, “ The blacks are pretty bad in the country we are going to,” declared Mr Mackay. “Wc shall have to watch them closely. The going will be heavy, as at this time of the year the grass is from three to four feet high, and there are swamps and many obstructions which will cause delay.” In 1926 Mr Mackay, accompanied by Dr Basedow, financed and led an expedition into Central Australia. He conducted a party on a nine months’ expedition to Papua in 1908. The party went to the head waters of the Purari River, and then proceeded towards the Fly River. Eighty-seven native carriers were engaged in that expedition, which was conducted by three white men. In 1599 Mr Mackay rode around Australia on a push bicycle, and about tw’elve years ago he made an excursion to the South Sea Islands in a small yacht.