In October 1824, explorers Hume and Hovell embarked on a daring journey, leading six men south from Lake George, near present-day Canberra, to Corio Bay.
On their return trip, they passed through the Seymour district on Christmas Eve, arriving home in January 1825.
While this tale showcases extraordinary courage and resourcefulness, it's also peppered with amusing mishaps that make the explorers’ achievements even more astounding.
Hamilton Hume, an Australian bushman, and William Hovell, a retired Royal Navy captain, formed an unlikely duo that attracted controversy and public ridicule and generated captivating headlines.
Their intended destination was Western Port, but they mistakenly reached Point Lillias, now the site of Avalon Airport. Astonishingly, they then attempted to conceal their error.
The expedition had managed to cross the Murrumbidgee, which was in flood.
The exceptionally wet year had turned the terrain into a perilous gauntlet. Raging rivers — the Broken, Murray, Goulburn and Ovens — combined with towering mountains, impenetrable forests and treacherous marshes to challenge the explorers’ determination at every step.
Hume and Hovell were unwilling to share leadership.
There had been constant bickering from the start.
Considering the arguments, disputes and pettiness, it’s amazing they survived, but the disagreements reached their climax when the explorers came to a mountain barrier.
They argued about the best route to take, which resulted in the party splitting up.
The equipment was divided and they prepared to cut their only tent in half.
In a comical yet telling incident, the leaders quarrelled fiercely over a frying pan, which snapped in two during their tug-of-war.
Fittingly, one ended up with the handle, the other with the pan itself.
Hovell later rejoined Hume when he found he had made a mistake, but it appears that Hume was not generous in victory.
By the time they reached Corio, all co-operation had ceased.
On their return, they were feted by the governor and the people of Sydney.
They were treated like heroes and received land grants. The gloss wore off when it was realised, after an unsuccessful attempt to establish a colony at Western Port, that Hovell had not measured the longitude.
It was not until 1827 that the pair changed their stories to identify Geelong as the location.
In 1867, Hovell admitted the truth, then blamed Hume for it.
We take river crossings for granted today, but 200 years ago it was a dangerous undertaking.
This is why Seymour was established — where a punt carried travellers across the Goulburn River.
In our age of GPS-guided journeys along the Hume Hwy between Seymour and Sydney, it’s easy to forget the monumental challenges these early explorers faced without modern technology.
The next time you make the eight-hour journey to Sydney, spare a thought for those eight men 200 years ago.
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