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Robert O'Hara Burke
ROBERT O’HARA BURKE
Born at St.Clerans, Ireland in 1821. He served some years as an army officer, and some in the Irish police force before migrating to Tasmania in 1853.
He soon afterwards moved to Victoria, where he was appointed inspector and superintendent of police for the ovens, at Beechworth, from 1854 to 1858.
In 1859 he took up a similar position at Castlemaine.
In 1860, Burke was chosen to lead the great northern exploration expedition across Australia from Melbourne to the Gulf of Carpentaria.
The expedition was expensively equipped by pubic and private subscriptions, and consisted of 14 men, 27 camels, numerous horse, wagons, scientific instruments and weapons.
The expedition left Melbourne on the 19th August 1860.
Largely as a result of Burke’s impatience and lack of bushcraft, it failed disastrously
The fringe of the Gulf Of Carpentaria was reached early in February 1861.
But on the return journey, burke and his second in command, W.J. Wills and his entire company apart from John King, died of malnutrition and exhaustion at Cooper’s Creek towards the end of June. Their bodies were subsequently recovered and buried in Melbourne. There are memorials to Burke at Melbourne, Castlemaine and Beechworth.
Robert O’Hara Burke And Beechworth
Robert O’Hara Burke was the Ovens Police inspector from 1854 to 1856. On Christmas Day 1856. He took over from inspector Mason and became superintendent of police until he left for Castlemaine to take up a similar position in late 1858.
A gallant, audacious Irishman of protestant gentry and military back ground, Burke was always yearning for glory and distinction.
Carole Woods in her ‘Beechworth, a Titan’s Field’ gives numerous instances of Burke’s many eccentricities which undoubtedly fuelled Beechworth gossip and endeared him to the populace.
He was a dark haired beared man of medium build, who dressed negligently in slouch hat, a short coat flapping open, baggy trousers and slippers. He was no bushman and once got lost on the track from Beechworth to Yackandandah.
His yearning for glory prompted him to dash off to the Crimean War in 1856, but the war had ended by the time he reached Europe and he had to return crestfallen to his post at The Ovens.
He took long baths, wearing a helmet and reading a book, in a pit near the camp. He fell passionately in love with a 17 year old actress Julia Matthews. When he found his love unrequited, he was devastated.
In 1857, he gained local distinction when he marched as police detachment over 50 miles in 24 hours to the riot torn Buckland and effectively handled the difficult situation there.
He was a member of several musical groups in Beechworth. An extract from the Beechworth newspaper, ‘The Constitution’ of 30th October 1858 reads: Testimonial to superintendent Robert O’Hara Burke. The Government officials of the district have presented to this gentleman as a mark of their esteem and regard…a brace of revolvers. They are on the principle of the tranter’s double trigger, are handsomely finished weapons calculated to prove extremely serviceable should their owner unfortunately need to use them. One is a holster pistol and the other is intended to wear on the person. Both bear suitable inscriptions on silver plates covering the butt ends…’ the whereabouts of these revolvers is unknown.
When the good people of Beechworth heard of Burke’s death in 1861, it was decided to build a memorial to his honour. This of course became The Burke Museum.
Burke did achieve fame and glory, but for something he failed at, rather than something he succeeded with.
Author: Mr Bob Simpson
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