Narrative of the Overland Expedition of the Messrs Jardine - From Rockhampton to Cape York, Northern Queensland

The following is a report of the overland expedition by the brothers Francis Lascelles Jardine and Alexander William Jardine. They traveled overland from Rockhampton with herds of livestock to Somerset in order to set up a cattle station to support the new outpost. They initially began this droving journey from Rockhampton in two separate groups which eventually rendezvoused at John Graham MacDonald's Carpentaria Downs station on the Einasleigh River. The combined party led by Frank Jardine eventually started out from Carpentaria Downs. It consisted of Frank, his brother Alex, three stockmen, a surveyor, four Native Police troopers, 42 horses, and 250 head of cattle. The trip took another five months during which time the party was constantly opposed by the area's Indigenous inhabitants as they forced their way through scrub and swamps and crossed at least six large rivers, including the Jardine River which was subsequently named after the brothers.