The Dig Tree: The Story of Burke and Wills

Sarah Murgatroyd has brought together new scientific and historical evidence, and tells in brilliant detail the story of Burke and Wills, the explorers who set out to cross Australia from coast to coast. This book describes vividly the remarkable courage, suffering and moments of sheer lunacy, as Burke and Wills struggled to survive in a harsh land they did not understand. Murgatroyd reveals fascinating detail – for example, that Burke had a notoriously bad sense of direction, and was famous for getting lost even on the way home from his local pub! Though we all know the basic story of the Burke and Wills expedition, this book reveals just how little most of us know of the individuals, the politics, the blunders and the ambitions behind this extraordinary event in Australia’s history.