Hawdon’s Overland Carriage Road to Port Phillip

Arrival of Mr. Hawdon OverLand - Carriage Road to Port Phillip.

South Australian Register, Adelaide

17 August 1839

We have the satisfaction to announce the arrival from Port Phillip, the Portland Bay and the Glenelg, of our esteemed friend Joseph Hawdon, to when, in conjunction with Mr. Bonney, the province of South Australia is indebted for first opening the route overland to New South Wales.

Mr. Hawdon, accompanied by Lieutenant A. M. Mundy, late of the 21st Regt., drove the whole way in a light tandem!

In our next we shall have the pleasure of laying before our readers the particulars of this interesting expedition, with which Mr. Hawdon has kindly promised to furnish us.

In the meantime the following brief notice from Mr. Hawdon will be acceptable:-

"My friend Lieut. A. M. Mundy, late of 21st Regt., and myself, accompanied by one servant, left Melbourne on the 12th of July, and arrived at Adelaide on the 12th of August, driving a tandem the full distance.

Having occasion to pass Mount Macedon, we made a detour of nearly one hundred miles.

The full distance on the route we came was computed at about six hundred miles.

On leaving the Glenelg River, near the junction of Wannon, we steered our course to the lake bearing my name, discovered by Mr. Bonney, and from thence over the sandy country to the junction of the Murray River with Lake Alexandrina.

About thirty miles N.N.W. of the Glenelg River, at the junction of the Wannon, we discovered a fresh water lake, which I called Lake Mundy.

Although surrounded by a barren country, it is of immense importance to parties who may require to send stock to this province, fresh water being so very scarce on this route.

The journey was performed without the slightest interruption from the natives, who are not by any means numerous on this route."