P000187 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 McCarthy, G.J. updated 2026-04-29 human https://www.eoas.info/biogs/P000187b.htm person Wills William John AACR2 5 January 1834 c. 29 June 1861 Place of Birth Totnes, Devon, England Place of Death Queensland, Australia Explorer Astronomer William Wills migrated to Australia in 1852 and in 1860 he was given the position of astronomer and surveyor with an expedition led by R.O. Burke to explore central Australia. They reached the Gulf of Carpentaria but died on the return journey. Willis's diary was edited for publication by his father. January 1853 January 1853 Life event - Migrated to Victoria 1858 Career position - Assistant to Georg Neumayer at astronomical and magnetical observatories, Melbourne 1858? 1860 Career position - Assistant, Flagstaff Observatory, Melbourne 1860 1861 Career position - Surveyor and astronomer, Victorian Exploring Expedition Flagstaff Observatory for Geophysics, Magnetism and Nautical Sciences, Colony of Victoria (1858 - 1863)

Assistant 1858? - 1860

 Victorian Exploring Expedition (1860 - 1861)

Member of the Expedition 1860 - 1861

Wikidata

VIAF - Virtual International Authority File

 Wills, William John (1834-1861)

Trove

 'Wills, William John', in Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation, Centre for Transformative Innovation, Swinburne University of Technology Wills, William John Swinburne University of Technology, Centre for Transformative Innovation Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation Book Section: Wills, William John (1834-1861), explorer McLaren, Ian F. Wills, William John (1834-1861), explorer Melbourne Melbourne University Press 1976 Australian dictionary of biography, volume 6: 1851 - 1890 R - Z Bede Nairn 410-411 Book Section: William John Wills as Scientist Leahy, Frank William John Wills as Scientist Collingwood CSIRO Publishing 2011 Burke and Wills: the Scientific Legacy of the Victorian Exploring Expedition Joyce, E. Bernie and McCann, Douglas A. 23-57 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: The Dig Tree: the Story of Burke and Wills Murgatroyd, Sara The Dig Tree: the Story of Burke and Wills Melbourne Text Publishing 2000 Book: A successful exploration through the interior of Australia; edited by his father, William Wills Willis, W. J. A successful exploration through the interior of Australia; edited by his father, William Wills London Richard Bentley 1863 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: 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 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 Journal Article: "Surgeon" Wills of the Burke and Wills Expedition 1860-1861: New Research and a Medical Perspective of William John Wills (1834-1861) Pearn, John "Surgeon" Wills of the Burke and Wills Expedition 1860-1861: New Research and a Medical Perspective of William John Wills (1834-1861) 2012 Queensland History Journal 21 8 522-36 Book: Starvation in a Land of Plenty: Wills' Diary of the Fateful Burke and Wills Expedition Cathcart, Michael Starvation in a Land of Plenty: Wills' Diary of the Fateful Burke and Wills Expedition Canberra National Library of Australia 2012 Review: Journal of Australian Colonial History Stagg, Helen 2015 Journal of Australian Colonial History 17 211-3 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 Conference Paper: "Surgeon" Wills of the Burke and Wills Expedition Gardner-Thorpe, D.; Gardner-Thorpe C.; and Pearn, J. "Surgeon" Wills of the Burke and Wills Expedition Brisbane Society of the History of Medicine 1996 History, Heritage and Health: Proceedings of the Fourth Biennial Conference of the Australian Society of the History of Medicine, Norfolk Island, 2-9 July, 1995 Covacevich, Jeanette, Pearn, John, Case, Donna, Chapple, Ian and Phillips, Gael 345-350 Resource: Science and the making of Victoria Australian Science and Technology Heritage Centre Science and the making of Victoria 2001 Book: Dictionary of Australian biography Serle, Percival Dictionary of Australian biography Sydney Angus & Robertson 1949 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 William John Wills - Records State Library of Victoria, Australian Manuscripts Collection William John Wills - Records MF 360 1839 - 1861 Collection of 28 letters to his family 1839-61 and one fragment with a press-cutting relating to the Victorian Exploring Expedition 1860-61. Microfilm copy of originals held by the State Library of Victoria 1 reel Microfilm William John Wills - Records State Library of Victoria, Australian Manuscripts Collection William John Wills - Records MS 9504 1839 - 1861 Collection of 28 letters to his family 1839-61 and one fragment with a press-cutting relating to the Victorian Exploring Expedition 1860-61 [MS 9504]. 28 items William John Wills - Records National Library of Australia Manuscript Collection William John Wills - Records mfm G 14542 1839 - 1863 Microfilm of a diary of his journey out to Australia 1852-53; correspondence 1852-61 including references to his work at the Flagstaff Observatory, Melbourne and his expedition to central and northern Australia 1860-61; press cuttings from Melbourne and London newspapers concerning the expedition; 2 letters to his father 1839, 1840; overall dates 1839-63 [1 reel, G14,542]. 1 reel