Mulga and Lancewood Traditional Cache

John McDouall Stuart (7 September 1815 – 5 June 1866) was one of the most accomplished and famous of all Australia's inland explorers.

Stuart led the first successful expedition to traverse the Australian mainland from south to north and return, and the first to do so from a starting point in South Australia, achieving this despite poor backing from the Government of South Australia. His experience and the care he showed for his team ensured he never lost a man, despite the harshness of the country he encountered.

The explorations of Stuart eventually resulted in the Australian Overland Telegraph Line being built and the main route from Port Augusta to Darwin being established, which is now known as the Stuart Highway in his honour.

During one of his attempts to cross Australia from south to north, Stuart came across a series of natural springs - and named them Daly Waters.
In his diary he wrote: I named these Daly Waters, in honour of his Excellency the Governour-in-Chief. Within 100 yards, the banks are thickly wooded with tall mulga and lancewood scrubs, but to the east is open gum forest, spendidly grassed.

It is believed that Stuart carved the initial 'S' into a tree near the campsite where the expedition stayed for the night, on May 23, 1862. Today the tree is known as Stuart's Tree.

Stuart's first attempt, in 1860, had reached Tennant Creek. The second, in early 1861, pushed further north but again Stuart turned back. The third journey left Adelaide in October 1861 and reached Daly Waters on 28 May. The party had been pushing through difficult lancewood scrub and harsh terrain at a little over a kilometre a day.
This journey was successful, reaching the north coast near modern Darwin on 24 July 1862.