Hume and Hovell: Overland to Port Phillip William Hovell and Hamilton Hume set out in October 1824 from Hume’s farm at Appin, near Sydney, to find a path to Bass Strait. The party consisted of convicts, horses, bullocks and two carts carrying supplies. The expedition had two other purposes: to find pasture- land; and to discover what rivers lay south of the Goulburn Plains and where they emptied. The party travelled to Lake George, near present- day Canberra, then came to the Murrumbidgee River, which was flooded. The river had to be crossed, and Hume and Hovell were worried about water damage to their supplies. They wrapped tarpaulins around the carts to protect them as they crossed the river. Many sights named For several days, the party travelled through mountainous country. They crossed a river they named the Medway, which is now called the Gooborragandra. Then they came to the Tumut River, from where they saw a row of snow-capped mountains, which they named the Snowy Mountains. In mid-November, they discovered a large river, and named it the Hume. This river was later found to be the upper part of the Murray River by another explorer, Charles Sturt. Hume's party crossed the river at a point near the present-daysite of the Hume Weir. South of the Hume, they crossed and named other rivers: the Ovens and the Hovell (later renamed the Goulburn). The country grew more mountain- ous, and the men pushed on © through thick bush. They climbed 4 Melbourne a peak from which they hoped to Gel see the south Pacific Ocean. But“ they were disappointed because the only thing they saw were moun- The route tan by Hume and Howell tains, so they named the peak Mt jsp jpumey ef 182001895 Disappointment. By mid-December, the party reached vast areas of rich pastureland that sloped towards the shores of a large bay, which Hovell was quite certain was Westernport. In fact, the party had arrived at Corio Bay on the west- ern side of Port Phillip Bay. Wrong destination Having reached their destination, or so they thought, the party began the return journey. On Hume and Hovell’s recommendation, a mili- Charles Sturt tary settlement was established at Hume end Hovell’s expedition had failed Westernport, but it was abandoned +0 answer the question of where the two years later. In 1826, Hovell intepdicayees chnenicd 7 wes thought sited Westernport, but couldn't es vert vhs : Sree interior of the continent Several years. recognise it. He realised that his Tees Ghides Sodes v95% ub the 2 expedition with Hume had reached challenge #0 answer this question. Port Phillip Bay, not Westernport.