1873 Gosse

In 1859 Gosse joined the South Australian Government Survey Office and in 1873 was appointed to lead a government expedition to explore between the Overland Telegraph Line at Alice Springs and Perth. At the same time Ernest Giles and Peter Egerton Warburton were in the field on similar expeditions.

Gosse's party consisted of his brother Harry, Edwin Berry, Henry Winnell, Patrick Nilen, three Afghan camel drivers (Kamran, Jemma Khan and Allanah) and an Aboriginal boy, Moses. A mixed party of horses, camels and a wagon left Alice Springs telegraph station 23 April 1873. Some three months later Gosse discovered Uluru - which he named Ayers Rock. Gosse climbed the Rock and discovered that the caves were used by the Aboriginal people, and noted that the good country for 2 miles around it.

For more information about this expedition see Taking it to the edge: Land: William Christie Gosse