AustLit

'By 1810, the town of Sydney stretched 100 kilometres west from Sydney Cove to the base of the Blue Mountains. Soon, the new settlers needed more land, but to find it they needed to cross the mountains. In 1813, landowner Gregory Blaxland, William Wentworth and William Lawson tried to cross the Blue Mountains in an attempt to find new grazing land. They found a route part-way through the mountains, but did not complete the crossing. Government Surveyor George Evans was sent to follow their route and then finish the job. These men opened up the inland to European settlement. This is a story of the people, the ideas and the events that led to the crossing of the Blue Mountains, and how it changed Australia forever.' (Publication summary)