Group Portrait of Calvert Expedition to Western Australia by L Wells - 1896-1897(GN03109)

The Calvert Exploring Expedition was financed by Albert Calvert in an attempt to explore largely unknown areas of Western Australia. It was led by a South Australian, Lawrence Allen Wells and managed from Adelaide by the Royal Geographical Society of Australasia (South Australian Branch). The expedition consisted of Larry Wells, leader, Charles Wells (his cousin, and second in command); George Jones (mineralogist and photographer); George Keartland (naturalist) and James Trainor. Bejah and Said Ameer were engaged as camel drivers.
The expedition left Mullewa in Western Australia 13 June 1896 heading north towards the Fitzroy River. Following on the practice established on the Elder Expedition, Wells established a base from which he scouted ahead for water. In the early stages they travelled within the bounds of settlement, where water was good and feed for the camels adequate. These early stages were over territory Wells had covered on the Elder Expedition. Wells noted in his diary that Jones and Keartland had begun to collect specimens. All these were later abandoned as will be seen. By 21 July they had reached latitude 26 24' and filled the water-kegs as they were about to move into unexplored territory and could no longer be sure of water supplies. The country was sandy with porcupine grass, desert gums and bloodwoods. Mulga thickets and small forests of desert gums were encountered, as were occasional sand ridges. On 23 July a lagoon was discovered which Wells named after Adam Lindsay Gordon, the poet. Birds of all kinds were plentiful here. The immediate area was in stark contrast to the monotonous mulga scrub beyond. There were many indications of Aboriginal people in the area, but none were seen. The party crossed a low range of hills that Wells named the Princess range, and which he realised divided the watershed of the Murchison River from the country to the east. Several notable hills were named, and Wells noted that the creeks drained into a salt lake. The country was by now becoming rougher, broken sandstone and ironstone, with claypans and poor vegetation. http://www.samemory.sa.gov.au/site/page.cfm?u=205

Wells in the centre of the picture. 1896.

Photo L to R - G L Jones, Bejah Dervish, A T Magarey, C F Wells, L A Wells, G A Keartland - Refer B9758 Mortlock photo, Calvert Expedition 1896.