Address & Contact Edit
798-792 A60
Moonee Ponds VIC 3039
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Stone monument in Queens Park on Mt Alexander Road depicting the location of the first
camp of the ill fated Burke & Wills expedition on Monday 20th August 1860. They only travelled 6km on the first day - it was winter and they had started out from
Melbourne late in the afternoon just after 4pm after a big public send-off, said to be the largest public event
Melbourne had ever seen.
"The 27 imported camels were tied at the
water hole (Queen's Park
lake) and the horses, terrified of the camels, were tethered at the corner of Napier Street and Fletcher Street."
The Moonee Ponds water reserve, was a favourite hunting and camping place for the local Wurundjeri-willam people. Moonee Moonee was the name they gave for the ponds.
The expedition did not make an early start on day 2 either - leaving Moonee Ponds at 2.30pm. The party left together: 19 men, 26 camels, 23 horses and three wagons, plus 3 hired wagons, their drivers and horses.