FRANCIS BIRTLES—OFF AGAIN.

Otautau Standard and Wallace County Chronicle, Volume XXIV, Issue 1204, 22 January 1929, Page 3

FRANCIS BIRTLES— OFF AGAIN.

■ MrFrancis Birtlea left Melbourne on the 30th November on a trip into tne interior, with the object oi organising m conjunction with the Shell Company of Australia, the overland rou^e to the site of the old Burke and Wilts' camp at Cooper's Creek. Burke and Wills are the best known of the early Australian explorers. They set out m 1860-61 to cross Australia from Melbourne' to Carpentaria, but both perished on the return, -journey ai Coopers Creek. The journey to this historic spot is through typical outback country — open forest land and level plains, and affords splendid fish-^ ing and shooting-. Cooper's Creek is 1200 miles from Melbourne, and is formed by the junction, of the Barcoo and Thompson rivers, afterwards flowing into Lake Eyre. Some of the waterholes which form m the dry season are very extensive and provide an. ample supply of water. In the rainy season the Cooper becomes an impassable stream, and as the flood waters; are due to come down the river at this season of the year, Mr Birtles ' intends experimenting with an amphibian trailer which he is taking with him on the trip. This consists of a boat-shaped body mounted on a 2wheelcd chassis, and drawn behind the car like an ordinary trailer, but when required can be lifted off its wheels and. used as a boat. . Mr Birtles will establish his s,upply camp-, at Nappermary, from which point he will make for Burkes depot. He is travelling m a Bean car, similar to the model which he used on his journey from England, and expects to, return- m about six weeks' time provided the flood waters do not come down the Cooper earlier than is expected. A six-valve wireless set is included m the overlander's equipment, and . Mr- Birtles' . new dog, Yowjc, is his master's sole companion.