P000076 revised AU-VU:EOAS Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation

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 English AACR2 Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules Person created 1993-10-20 human Gavan McCarthy [P004098] and Helen Cohn updated 2026-04-29 human https://www.eoas.info/biogs/P000076b.htm person Burke Robert O'Hara AACR2 1821 1861 Place of Birth St Clerans, County Galway, Ireland Place of Death Australia Explorer Robert O'Hara Burke was the leader of the Victorian Exploring Expedition in 1860 to 1861, the first expedition to cross Australia from south to north. He was educated at the Woolwich Academy in the United Kingdom and served as a lieutenant in a cavalry regiment and in the Austrian army until 1848, when he joined the Irish Mounted Constabulary. In 1853 he migrated to Victoria, joining the Victorian Police and rising to become Superintendent in the Castlemaine district. Although inexperienced in exploration and bushcraft Burke was selected as leader of the Expedition, which was organised by the Royal Society of Victoria with support from the colonial Government. Having left most of the expedition members and supplies at bases at Menindee and Cooper Creek, Burke and a small party reached the Gulf of Carpentaria but he died of starvation at Cooper Creek on the way back. 1848 1853 Career position - Member of the Irish Mounted Constabulary 1853 1853 Career position - Acting Inspector at Carlsruhe, Victoria Police 1853 1853 Life event - Migrated to Australia 1854 1858 Career position - Senior Inspector at Beechworth, Victoria Police 1858 1860 Career position - Superintendent of Police, Castlemaine district, Victoria Police 1860 1861 Career position - Leader of the Victorian Exploring Expedition Victorian Exploring Expedition (1860 - 1861)

Leader of the Expedition 1860 - 1861

Wikidata

VIAF - Virtual International Authority File

 Burke, Robert O'Hara (1821-1861)

Trove

 'Burke, Robert O'Hara', in Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation, Centre for Transformative Innovation, Swinburne University of Technology Burke, Robert O'Hara Swinburne University of Technology, Centre for Transformative Innovation Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation Book: The Dig Tree: the Story of Burke and Wills Murgatroyd, Sara The Dig Tree: the Story of Burke and Wills Melbourne Text Publishing 2000 Journal Article: The Burke and Wills Expedition and the Royal Society of Victoria Fitzpatrick, Kathleen The Burke and Wills Expedition and the Royal Society of Victoria 1963 Historical Studies 40 May Book Section: Burke, Robert O'Hara (1821-1861), explorer Fitzpatrick, Kathleen Burke, Robert O'Hara (1821-1861), explorer Melbourne Melbourne University Press 1969 Australian dictionary of biography, volume 3: 1851 - 1890 A-C Douglas Pike 301-303 Journal Article: Burke and Wills: an Overview of the Expedition, its Preparation, Planning and Outcomes Phoenix, Dave Burke and Wills: an Overview of the Expedition, its Preparation, Planning and Outcomes 2012 Queensland History Journal 21 8 497-509 Book: The Burke and Wills exploring expedition: an account of the crossing of the continent from Cooper's Creek to the Gulf of Carpentaria: reprinted from "The Argus" The Burke and Wills exploring expedition: an account of the crossing of the continent from Cooper's Creek to the Gulf of Carpentaria: reprinted from "The Argus" facsimile Adelaide State Libraries Board of South Australia 1963, reprinted 1971 Review: Victorian Historical Journal Garden, Don 2015 Victorian Historical Journal 86 2 385-7 Book: Burke and Wills: from Melbourne to myth Bonyhady, Tim Burke and Wills: from Melbourne to myth Balmain (N.S.W.) David Ell Press 1991 Review: The Victorian naturalist Morton, Anne 2012 The Victorian naturalist 129 122 Journal Article: 'All Burke's Books &c Have Been Saved': the Burke and Wills Papers in the State Library of Victoria Phoenix, Dave 'All Burke's Books &c Have Been Saved': the Burke and Wills Papers in the State Library of Victoria 2010 La Trobe Journal 86 3-22 Book: Burke and Wills: the Scientific Legacy of the Victorian Exploring Expedition Joyce, E. Bernie and Mccann, Douglas A. Burke and Wills: the Scientific Legacy of the Victorian Exploring Expedition Collingwood CSIRO Publishing 2011 Book: Dictionary of Australian biography Serle, Percival Dictionary of Australian biography Sydney Angus & Robertson 1949 Resource: Science and the making of Victoria Australian Science and Technology Heritage Centre Science and the making of Victoria 2001 Resource: Technology in Australia 1788-1988 Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering Technology in Australia 1788-1988 Online Melbourne Australian Science and Technology Heritage Centre 2000