30 March, 2010 9:28AM ACST

Week 5: North west of Oodnadatta

In week five of our special on the journey of John McDouall Stuart we head north west of Oodnadatta, between the Neales and Hamilton rivers. Local historian, Staurt Traynor, discusses Stuart's epic journey.

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Where's Mr Stuart?

Week 4 of the expedition, 23-29 March 1860

Between the Neales and the Hamilton rivers, north-west of Oodnadatta

The country is becoming more thickly vegetated as they move north. On the western side of Lake Eyre they'd crossed featureless gibber plains with saltbush and grass. But now on 23rd, 24th and 25th they have to get through some thick patches of mulga scrub which tears their packs and saddlebags.

Getting across the north branch of the Neales also causes them problems, with its banks being boggy and steep. One positive thing, however, is that they find fish 20 cm long in the river which provide a welcome change in their diet and temporarily eases young Ben's hunger pains. There is also plenty of grass feed for the horses and Stuart forms a very favourable impression of the country for cattle and sheep grazing.

They camp the night of 25 March on the Alberga River (but Stuart refers to it as the West Neales River in his diary.) They spend the 26 March repairing the damage to their equipment. It rains heavily again that night and there are occasional showers the next day, 27 March. Some of the horses are getting bad backs and so Stuart gives them another day rest while Kekwick goes to the top of a low range to get an idea of the country ahead.

The 28 March takes them to the Hamilton River which is running. (Stuart calls it the Frew.) They camp there that night. There's lots of evidence of Aboriginal people in the area. They head a short distance north next day and come across a long waterhole where a large number of Aboriginal people have been camping. Their fires are still alight, giving the impression that they have only just left. The explorers see a number of 'winter habitations' on the banks and a large, circular structure which Stuart takes to be an Aboriginal grave. It is 3-4 metres in diameter, a metre high and composed of earth, wood and stones.