Chat: Dr Jonathan King

Interviewer: Now we will go to the questions from our guests.

Bertie asks: How should the story of Burke and Will's be remembered by Australian's today?

Jonathan King: As a triumph and tragedy. A triumph because they were first to cross the continent. A tragedy because they payed the supreme sacrifice of their lives. From which we should all learn lessons of survival in the bush.

Tweety asks: Isn’t it better to be taught about the heroes "Burke and Wills" and not the "guys that didn’t have a clue" ?

Jonathan King: No, because we need to learn life saving lessons because survival in the outback today is also very difficult and if we don't learn from their mistakes others could due needlessly.

Paul asks: Are there tours / treks for people to join to do the journey of Burke and Wills?

Jonathan King: Yes. I am organising an expedition myself and you can contact me on 0419 495 732 for details and other companies also organise tours which I can tell you about. Or you can email me at jonathanandjane@bigpond.com for more information. I can then give you details of the expedition we are on now and future ones.

Joanne asks: Do Burke and Wills have any relatives that visit the grave?

Jonathan King: Neither Burke nor Wills had descendants as both died without having any children. However, Wills' brother had children who have descendants who are interested in his story and visit his grave in Melbourne.

aussiebloke asks: What kind of food do you think was left under that dig tree?

Jonathan King: Food left under the dig tree included, flour, salted meat such as beef and pork. Also dried provisions including dried fruits. Along with sugar and tea.

Bertie asks: This might seem an odd question but what happened to the camels after Burke and Will's journey - are they responsible for the huge camel population in Australia today?

Jonathan King: Good question! For today's environmental problems out back which include up to 1 million feral camels doing great damage to the environment, some of which may be descended from an escaped camel(s) from Burke's expedition. However most of the camels died. I will be examining these camels as I retrace the Burke and Wills trek during my current environmental expedition along the 1860 track, searching for environmental issues that need repairing.

Feebee asks: Where exactly did Burke die was it at the dig tree or was it on their way to the outpost in South Australia?

Jonathan King: Burke and Wills both died beside the Cooper Creek about 2 or 3 kilometres from the Dig Tree where they were harvesting the plant Nardoo to try and stay alive. Also they wanted to contact Yandruwandra people asking for help.

John asks: Would you recommend the journey to the great coolabah tree?

Jonathan King: Yes definitely because you will be able to touch the soul of one of Australian history's greatest stories and experience the wilderness where two great explorers died for a worthwhile cause. But, you must get professional advice before travelling out to the Dig Tree or you could meet the same fate.

joanne asks: What book depicts the exact movement of Burke and Wills?

Jonathan King: The Dig Tree, by Sarah Murgatroyd written in the 1990s. It's a fairly recent book and is very good and full of critical opinions so we can learn the story as it happened but also learn lessons as we go.

troll asks: Did any of the 19 men survive?

Jonathan King: Yes. John King was the sole survivor from the party of 4 that went from Cooper Creek to the Gulf and most of the members of the party of 19 which set out survived. It was only 7 died in total 3 of which were in that final party of 4 that went from the Cooper to the Gulf.

fraser asks: Hi Jonathan, loved tonight's show, you really came across very informed and a nice guy. I have a question - How do you feel the story of Burke and Wills is suited to film? This is a classic adventure story with historical and comical elements and has really played on my mind as a screenwriter that it would be great to have a true Australian film made about this. Of course, as the programme showed, there is the Jack Thompson film as well as numerous others, but I have always felt there could be a definitive one. So how would you feel about the elements being adapted to film - better suited to drama or documentary?

Jonathan King: My recommendation would be every good historical story can be told afresh for each new generation. I would be interested in helping get another one started but would recommend a dramatised documentary for television. Thanks for the encouraging feedback, I'm working from the heart as always.

joelt asks: Would you say the expedition was doomed from the start or was there a turning point you would cite from where everything went downhill?

Jonathan King: I think the expedition was doomed from the start because the Royal Society of Victoria selected the worst candidate for the leadership position, ignoring experienced and qualified track record explorers in order to appoint a friend of one of the Society's Directors (Melbourne Club jobs for the boys style). Burke had no experience and was a country policeman who had already got lost in the settled districts of Victoria, could not read a compass properly nor tell the compass points from the Southern Cross at night. But, his worst mistake was deciding to dash to the Gulf with a party of 4 without preparation or provisions and things went downhill from that decision.

Trish asks: I heard tonight Burke and Wills bodies were recovered for a state funeral. I was under the assumption the Wills body and place of death was never discovered. Was his body found. Why hasn't he got a memorial near Coopers Creek. Is Burke's grave a memorial site rather than where he was laid to rest?

Jonathan King: Burke's grave and Wills grave also are in the Melbourne General Cemetery in Parkville and both have headstones. King is also buried there but there are memorials to both Burke and Wills at the Cooper Creek where they died a couple of km's from each other. Both Burke and Wills remains were recovered although Aborigines and/or dingoes had removed parts of the bodies. These remaining remains were taken to Melbourne for a State Funeral and are buried in the cemetery in Melbourne.

WarrenWoods asks: Hello, My Great Great Grandfather was involved in the 1861 rescue and survey expedition. Lt George Austin Woods was the chief officer on the HMCS Victoria. Landsborough became a good friend and named Woods Lake after him. The family sill has information on the expedition and other interesting historical occurrences. Would you be interested in seeing this information?

Jonathan King: Yes, that's very interesting I would be keen for you to email me your details at jonathanandjane@bigpond.com

tg-online asks: My grandmother wears a diamond from Wills. We have his ORIGINAL diary, and silk screen painting from their expedition. We offered all to the museum, but no one was interested. Would you be interested in seeing these items?

Jonathan King: Yes thank you I would. Please contact me via my email (see above) or you phone me at 0419 495 732. I would be most interested.

marlene asks: Dr King, I am wondering if you are related to John King from the Burke and Wills expedition? My reason is that my Grandmother was brought up by John King and his wife.

Jonathan King: Again please contact me at the above email or phone number because I would be interested to hear your story as a historian, but I'm not descended to John King who's only descendant was a part-aboriginal daughter called Yellow Alice or Miss King and any children she may have had.

Kitcho asks: Why aren't we teaching our kids more about our own history? After reading a book about Burke & Wills, we packed up the 4WD and headed to the Coopers Creek recapping the book as we went. Our kids were right into the story and the environment they had to trek through.

Jonathan King: It's not politically correct, unfortunately, with the powers that rule Australia to teach traditional Australian history which is why it is so clever of you to have taken your children outback and taught them first hand, as they wouldn't get the story at school. They teach all sorts of other issues that are not traditional. Unfortunately you don't get mainstream Australian History. You did the right thing and your children will benefit.

GregConrick asks: I am a direct descendant of John Conrick who founded Nappa Merrie Station at Cooper Creek. My question, what importance to you afford to the pioneers who came after Burke and Wills?

Jonathan King: The pioneers that settled the country opened up by Burke and Wills were important pastoral leaders including John Conrick as they bravely settled this unknown land against enormous odds. But, at the same time sadly they helped destroy the Aboriginals' way of life and consequently the destruction of the Aboriginal race in the outback.

jb77 asks: Hi Dr King, I've just watched your show and thought it was great. I am a primary teacher and am currently rehearsing a musical that I have written on the Burke and Wills tragedy. I was wondering if you are in Sydney in the next few weeks if you were interested in coming along to see the performance. The kids are so enthusiastic about it and it would be great if meet someone so knowledgeable about the topic. Would you be interested?

Jonathan King: Yes, please contact me at jonathanandjane@bigpond.com or phone me on 0419 495 732. Congratulations on a great initiative and I hope I can get to see the performance.

eddelbuttel asks: Are their records accurate enough to work out exactly the route that they took?

Jonathan King: The records left by William John Wills were accurate as he was a great surveyor and scientist and we can work out where they went most of the time, perhaps 90% of the locations are definite.

Nick asks: Do you intend to use camels in your tour?

Jonathan King: No, we are organising an environmental expedition with Mitsubishi Pajeros and Getaround Camper Trailers as they are more efficient for studying the environment and making a documentary film for television. But Andrew Harper uses camels for environmental work on Australian Desert Expeditions in the Simpson Desert. Check his website for details.

Bertie asks: Is the story of Burke and Wills the only historical project that you have interest in?

Jonathan King: I have re-enacted a dozen major historical events including the First Fleet and the Man from Snowy River for significant anniversaries and written 30 books on subjects like Gallipoli or the Western Front etc so my interests are wide ranging. However, I should advise all of you to do an internet search for Culture Victoria. If you do that you will find a department of Arts Victoria, you can have a look at the work we are doing on this expedition. Put in Burke and Wills environmental expedition and you will find what we are doing.

Interviewer: I am sorry we are out of time, do you have anything else you would like to share before we finish tonight?

Jonathan King: Anybody who wants to assist the environmental expedition financially or in kind, should contact me as we are short of funds for finishing our work. We are raising the money as we go along. You can contact me at my email address jonathanandjane@bigpond.com Thank you for your questions tonight.

Interviewer: Once again thank you for joining us, and goodnight.

Interviewer: This concludes our chat with Dr Jonathan King, Sunday September 5, 2010.