Captain Hovell Passed Trough Gundagai

The Maitland Mercury & Hunter River General

14 March 1872

Captain Hovell –

This gentleman passed through Gundagai on Monday en route for Victoria.

Although he has attained the ripe old age of eighty six years, he is still active, vigorous, and in full possession of his faculties.

It may be remembered that in 1824 Captain Hovell and Mr. Hamilton Hume, as discoverers, crossed the Murrumbidgee above Yass, passed over the ranges to the Tumut River, crossing it where the township of Tumut now stands, continued onwards in a south westerly direction to the fine country about Mount Battery, subsequently reaching the Murray River, from whence they proceeded to Geelong.

At Albury, a tree upon which Captain Hovell out his name, and the date, November 17th, 1824, still stands, alive and fenced round.

While proceeding on his present journey the venerable gentleman will traverse a considerable portion of the country which he and his brave adventurous companion saw for the first time in its wild unreclaimed beauty, and which is now peopled, cleared, and fruitful - a land flowing with milk and honey, like that promised to the Israelites of old.

Gundagai Times.