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Pawel Edmund Strzelecki Traditional Cache

Hidden : 7/24/2011
Difficulty:
1.5 out of 5
Terrain:
1.5 out of 5

Size: Size:   regular (regular)

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Geocache Description:

This cache was originally placed on the 24 July 2011 as a Geocaching Australia cache "GA3291".

If you have logged this cache through Geocaching Australia before 22/08/2013 you may log as "found it" on Geocaching.com with out going and finding it again.

Note: If traveling East DO NOT pull up on the side of the road and try and cross the road. Travel up to the round about and park at the monument.

The cache is a camo 1Lt Sistema Container with log book and small swaps.

Strzelecki was born in Głuszyna (then part of South Prussia, today part of the city of Poznań), Greater Poland, in 1797.

In Australia Strzelecki was called a 'Count', though there is no proof that he actually approved or used such a title himself..

Strzelecki left Poland about 1829 and stayed some time in France, from where he travelled to Africa.

On 8 June 1834 he sailed from Liverpool to New York. He travelled much in North and South America, Cuba, Tahiti and the South Sea Islands, and went to New Zealand probably about the beginning of 1839.

He arrived at Sydney on 25 April 1839. At the request of the Governor of New South Wales, Sir George Gipps, he made a geological and mineralogical survey of the Gippsland region in present-day eastern Victoria, where he made many discoveries. He discovered gold in 1839, however, Gipps feared the effects of gold on the colony and persuaded Strzelecki to keep his discovery secret.

Later in 1839 Strzelecki set out on an expedition into the Australian Alps and explored the Snowy Mountains with James Macarthur, James Riley and two Aboriginal guides: Charlie Tarra and Jackey. In 1840 he climbed the highest peak in Australia and named it Mount Kosciuszko, to honour Tadeusz Kościuszko, one of the national heroes of Poland and a hero of the American Revolutionary War. On Victorian maps (never on New South Wales maps) the name Mount Kosciusko was erroneously connected to the neighbouring peak, at present known as Mount Townsend and causing later many confusions, including the recent incorrect information on swapping the names of the mountains

From there Strzelecki made a journey through Gippsland. After passing the Latrobe River it was found necessary to abandon the horses and all the specimens that had been collected, and try to reach Western Port. For 22 days they were on the edge of starvation, and ultimately only saved by the knowledge and hunting ability of their guide Charlie, who caught native animals which they ate. The party, practically exhausted, arrived at Western Port on 12 May 1840 and reached Melbourne on 28 May.

From 1840 to 1842, based in Launceston, Tasmania (then known as Van Diemen's Land), Strzelecki explored nearly every part of the island, usually on foot with three men and two pack horses. The Lieutenant-Governor, Sir John Franklin, and his wife, Lady Jane, afforded him every help in his scientific endeavours.

Strzelecki left Tasmania on 29 September 1842 by steamer and arrived in Sydney on 2 October. He was collecting specimens in northern New South Wales towards the end of that year, and on 22 April 1843 he left Sydney after having travelled 11,000 kilometres (7,000 miles) through New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania, examining the geology along the way. He went to England after visiting China, the East Indies and Egypt. In 1845 he published his Physical Description of New South Wales and Van Diemen's Land which was awarded in May 1846 the Gold Medal of the Royal Geographical Society.

He was awarded an honorary degree from the University of Oxford, appointed a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG), and knighted as a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB).

In 1983 he was honoured on a postage stamp depicting his portrait issued by Australia Post.

Additional Hints (No hints available.)