Sturt was made the Surveyor-General (the person in charge of surveying) by the Governor of South Australia, but a new surveyor arrived who had been put in charge by the government in England. He worked as Assistant Land Commissioner until this job was by England. For a short time worked as the Registrar-General, but this job did not pay as much money. He was unhappy, and hoped a new expedition would improve his chances of a better job. He wanted to go into the middle of Australia and look for an inland sea. Another explorer, Edward John Eyre had found his way to the north blocked by what he thought was a huge salt lake, shaped like a horse shoe. It was really six large dry salt lakes. Sturt hoped that he could get around the lakes by going farther to the east.