Sir George Grey ( 1812 - 1898)

British explorer, governor and politician.

In 1836 he left Ireland and wrote to the Colonial Office offering to lead an expedition to seek a site for settlement in north-western Australia. With support from the Royal Geographical Society, Grey’s plan was approved and he sailed with Lieutenant Lushington and seven men in the Beagle in July 1837. In December they reached Hanover Bay (near Collier Bay) and after several short excursions started inland on 29 January 1838.

Leader and men were totally inexperienced, progress was delayed by flooded country, many stores were abandoned, and the party was constantly split up despite the presence of large numbers of hostile Aboriginals. On 10 February Grey was speared and became critically ill, but after two weeks continued the exploration. The party named the Glenelg River, Stephen Range and Mount Lyell before returning to Hanover Bay in April. There they were picked up by the Beagle and Lynher and taken to Mauritius to recuperate. In September Grey went to Perth hoping to resume his ‘adventures’. In February 1839 he sailed in an American whaler for Shark Bay where he and his ten men were landed on Bernier Island with three whale-boats in which he intended to explore northward to North-West Cape. After the whaler departed, the party was delayed by gales and found the island waterless. In desperation they crossed to the mainland but one boat was smashed and most of the provisions were spoilt before they reached the mouth of the Gascoyne River. The northern journey was abandoned and in March Grey decided to go to Perth by boat, although he knew there was no landing place for 100 miles (161 km). In heavy surf at Gantheaume Bay both boats were wrecked and the party faced a 300-miles forced march, sustained by what little food and water they could find. Grey reached Perth on 21 April and all except one of his men straggled in later.