Hamilton Hume was an early explorer of the present-day Australian states of New South Wales and Victoria.
22 Facts About Hamilton Hume
1.
2.
In 1824, along with William Hovell, Hume participated in an expedition that first took an overland route from Sydney to Port Phillip.
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Hamilton Hume was the eldest son of Andrew Hamilton Hume and his wife Elizabeth, nee Kennedy.
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Andrew Hamilton Hume got the appointment of Commissary-General for New South Wales, and came out to the colony in 1797.
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Hamilton Hume received most of his education from his mother.
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When Hamilton Hume was only 17 years of age, he began exploring the country beyond Sydney with his younger brother John and an Aboriginal boy as far to the south-west as Berrima, and soon developed into a good bushman.
7.
In 1817, Hamilton Hume went on a journey with James Meehan, the deputy surveyor-general, and Charles Throsby during which Lake Bathurst and the Goulburn Plains were sighted.
8.
Hamilton Hume travelled as far south as the Clyde River, and inland nearly as far as Braidwood.
9.
In 1824, Hamilton Hume was seen by Governor Brisbane with reference to an expedition to Spencer Gulf.
10.
Hamilton Hume refers to "the expedition your Excellency was pleased to entrust to my care".
11.
Hamilton Hume headed towards low ranges to the South and found a pass in that direction next day.
12.
Hamilton Hume led the party across the Dividing Range at Hume's Pass, Wandong and on the 16th December, 1824 reached Port Phillip Bay at Bird Rock, Point Lillias adjacent to the future Geelong.
13.
Hovell claimed that he measured their longitude on the same day but in reality he read it off the sketch map that he and Hamilton Hume had drafted themselves during the trip.
14.
Hamilton Hume chose to travel more to the west to avoid the mountainous country and save considerable time.
15.
In November 1828, Hamilton Hume journeyed with Charles Sturt into western New South Wales, where they found the Darling River, the Murray River's longest tributary.
16.
Hamilton Hume was able to communicate with some Aboriginals they met early in their journey who consented to act as guides, and later, when the Aboriginals left them, Sturt speaks with appreciation of Hamilton Hume's ability in tracking their animals which had strayed.
17.
Sturt would have liked Hamilton Hume to go with him on his second expedition, which started at the end of 1829, but he had a harvest to get in and was unable to make arrangements.
18.
Hamilton Hume had finished his work as an explorer, and spent his remaining days as a successful pastoralist.
19.
Hamilton Hume married Elizabeth Dight on 8 November 1825 at St Philip's Church in Sydney.
20.
Hamilton Hume served as a magistrate in Yass until his death at his residence, Cooma Cottage in Yass on 19 April 1873.
21.
Hamilton Hume is commemorated by the Hamilton Hume Highway, the principal road between Sydney and Melbourne.
22.
The Canberra suburb of Hamilton Hume was named after him, as was the federal electoral Division of Hamilton Hume.