Cunningham’s Trail

In 1827 explorer and botanist Allan Cunningham, his six colleagues, 11 horses and some dogs, crossed the Gwydir River at Bingara.  After camping beside the River that night they continued their journey northwards.

Below are news articles detailing his journey, including extracts from Cunningham’s log exactly as they appeared.

AllanCunningham

Cunningham’s Trail: The unexplained Riddles
Where was he when he saw evidence of cattle and were there two “white man’s huts” discovered? You be the judge. This extract from the log book of explorer Allan Cunningham shows how his writing creates a riddle. It is Saturday, May 19, 1827. Cunningham, on his journey north has… [Read more…]

DISCOVER GWYDIR – Cunningham’s Trail – A Summary.
Over the past weeks, the story of Allan Cunningham’s 1827 Trail through the current Gwydir Shire region has been told, as a series of extracts from his log book, in the local press and on this website. The story, recounting the discovery of new plants, rivers and streams, the naming… [Read more…]

Cunningham’s Trail May 21, 1827.
One hundred and eighty two years ago, plus a few days, explorer and botanist Allan Cunningham and his six colleagues, 11 horses and some dogs, crossed the Gwydir River (which he thought was the Peel) at Bingara. After camping beside the River that night they continued their journey northwards…  [Read more…]

Cunningham’s Trail May 22-24, 1827
In this extract from the log of explorer Allan Cunningham, his troop travel northward from their crossing of the Gwydir River at Bingara, to camp near Warialda on the night of May 23. The ridges of the Peel Fault are to their right and their Trail would have been…  [Read more…]

Cunningham’s Log, July 7 and 8, 1827
On the night of July 6, 1827, Allan Cunningham and his party camped just west of Graman between Inverell and Warialda. They were on their return journey from having discovered and named the Darling Downs, and, having trekked south along the New England highlands, had turned west and were…  [Read more…]

Cunningham’s Trail July 10-11, 1827
The Gwydir error and the Riddle of Ten “Missing Miles”. Allan Cunningham and his six men, eleven horses and several dogs, are on their homeward journey. They have crossed their outward path near Warialda Rail and had made camp, near dark, on July 9, beside a small creek with little… [Read more…]

Cunningham’s Trail – July 12-13, 1827
Cunningham’s party have discovered and named Horton’s River, and its valley as Wilmott Vale. The “remarkable range” running north-south up the western side of the valley, he named Drummond’s Range. From their campsite of the 11th July, on the Horton River, about 12 miles upstream from the Elcombe Bridge…  [Read more…]

Cunningham’s Trail July 14 to 16, 1827
Having decided to journey west of Horton’s River, Cunningham’s party are faced with the barrier of Hardwicke’s Range (Mt Kaputar and Mt Grattai) to the west, and some steep and difficult terrain (the Nandewars) to the south.  In his log book Cunningham writes…. July 14.  On quitting  the spot on which we…  [Read more…]

Allan Cunningham's European discovery of the Bingara district
Mural of Allan Cunningham’s European discovery of the Bingara district.
Painted by David Hopkins on
the wall of the Roxy complex.