William John Wills

Graves of Burke and Wills at Melbourne General Cemetery

William John Wills (5 January 1834 – June 1861) was a British surveyor, explorer, and one of the leaders of the ill-fated Burke and Wills expedition, which was the first to cross Australia from south to north. Born in Totnes, Devon, England, Wills was skilled in surveying and had a keen interest in exploring the Australian continent. His contributions, alongside those of Robert O'Hara Burke, have been commemorated in various ways throughout Australia, despite the tragic outcome of their expedition.

Early Life

William John Wills was born to Dr. William Wills, a general practitioner, and Sarah Wills. He was educated in the King Edward VI Grammar School in Totnes, where he showed an early aptitude for mathematics and astronomy, skills that would later prove crucial in his exploratory endeavors. In 1852, the Wills family emigrated to Australia, settling in the Ballarat region of Victoria, a place that was, at the time, gripped by the Gold Rush.

Career and Explorations

In Australia, Wills initially worked with his father but soon took up a position as a surveyor. His work in this field was highly regarded, and in 1860, he was appointed as the surveyor for the Victorian Exploring Expedition, later known as the Burke and Wills expedition. This expedition aimed to cross the Australian continent from Melbourne in the south to the Gulf of Carpentaria in the north, a distance of around 3,250 kilometers.

The expedition left Melbourne on 20 August 1860 and faced numerous challenges, including harsh desert conditions, lack of food and water, and the difficult task of navigating through unknown territory. Wills's skills as a surveyor were instrumental in the expedition's initial successes, as he was able to map the route and guide the team through the vast Australian interior.

Demise

The expedition reached the mangroves on the estuary of the Flinders River near the Gulf of Carpentaria in February 1861, achieving their goal of crossing the continent. However, the return journey proved disastrous. The expedition was plagued by malnutrition, exhaustion, and poor health. Wills, Burke, and two other members of the expedition, John King and Charles Gray, attempted to return to their base at Cooper's Creek, but Wills and Burke died of starvation and exposure in June 1861. John King was the sole survivor, being cared for by the local Indigenous people until he was found by a relief expedition.

Legacy

The deaths of Burke and Wills became a national tragedy and led to a public outcry over the perceived mismanagement of the expedition. Despite the tragic end, the expedition played a significant role in opening up the Australian interior for pastoral expansion and settlement. Memorials to Wills and the expedition can be found across Australia, including the iconic statue at the corner of Collins and Swanston streets in Melbourne.

Wills's contributions to Australian exploration are also recognized through various geographical namesakes, including the Wills River and the electoral division of Wills.

See Also

• Burke and Wills expedition
• Exploration of Australia
• Robert O'Hara Burke
• John King (explorer)