Gregory Blaxland

Free Settle - pioneer - explorer - Blue Mountains

In Australian colonial history Gregory Blaxland, (1778-1854), was a pioneer or Free Settler and an explorer who became famous as one of the first men to cross the Blue Mountains, in New South Wales. He travelled with fellow explorers William Lawson and William Charles Wentworth. They left Blaxland's farm at South Creek, near the mountains, on May 11, 1813.  On May 31, they reached a peak from which they could clearly see the fertile Bathurst plains to the west.  They returned to the farm on June 6. 

Blaxland was born in the county of Kent, England.  On April the 11th, 1806 he, with his brother John, arrived in Sydney as free settlers on board the William Pitt, which also carried 117 convicts to the colony.  

In 1849 Aborigines kill two brothers on Blaxland's station near Bundaberg Qld, provoking massive reprisal attacks.

He died on New Year's Day 1854.

He is remembered today by the Blaxland River in North West NSW, and by the Township of Blaxland within the beautiful, now World Heritage listed Blue Mountains that he helped to cross.

Reference

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