St. George’s Bridge

St George is located 550 km from Brisbane via Goondiwindi or 509 km via Dalby. Mitchell’s fourth expedition was into Queensland in 1845-46. On 15 December 1845, Mitchell started from Buree (N.S.W.) with a large party. He struck the Darling River much above Fort Bourke thence continued to the Narran River, to the Balonne, and to the Culgoa. On 12 April 1846, he came to a natural bridge of rocks on the main branch of the Balonne, which he called St. George Bridge, and which is the present site of the town of St George (Southern Queensland). Kennedy was left in charge of the main body here, and was instructed to follow on slowly, while Mitchell pushed ahead with a few men. Mitchell followed the Balonne to the Maranoa, and then to the Cogoon now called Muckadilla Creek, near Roma. This rivulet led him on into a magnificent pastoral district, in the midst of which stood a solitary hill that he named Mount Abundance. He then crossed a low watershed to the Marunoa, and awaited Kennedy’s arrival. Kennedy overlook him on 3 June 1846, bringing despatches. Leaving Kennedy Mitchell traversed the country at the head of the Maranoa, and discovered the Warrago River. Keeping north over the watershed, he traversed the Claude and Nogoa rivers, and reached the Burdekin River, which he found was a tributary of the Biirdekln River, discovered by Leichhardt in 1845. Intensely mortified to find that he was on a tributary of the Burdekin River, and approaching the ground already trodden by Leichardt, he returned to the head of the Nogoa, and struck west again, after dividing his party and forming a stationary camp. He then continued west, and discovered the Barcoo River. It was on the Barcoo River that Mitchell first noticed the now famous grass that bears his name. On his homeward journey he followed down the Maranoa River to St. George