Eyre and Wylie Memorial

Statement of Significance

Eyre and Wylie Memorial has cultural heritage significance for the following reasons: The memorial commemorates the contribution to exploration by two men, Edward John Eyre and Wylie his Aboriginal guide and companion with the memorial based on the end point of the track that the two overlanders took in 1841 after travelling for six months from South Australia to Albany. The memorial is associated with local Aboriginal, Wylie, who received some recognition at the time for his endurance and loyalty to Eyre and after whom Wylie Crescent at Middleton Beach is named after.

Physical Description

Some of the notable features of this place include: • Rough faced blue granite block with brass plaques • Set in ‘crazy’ laid stone circular base • Situated in landscaped gardens of Allambie Park cemetery

History

The memorial at Allambie Park Cemetery commemorates the contribution to exploration by two men, Edward John Eyre and Wylie his Aboriginal guide and companion who was from King George Sound. The situation of the memorial is based on the end point of the track that the two overlanders took in 1841 after travelling for six months across the Nullarbor Plain from the east at Fowler’s Bay South Australia to Albany. Edward John Eyre, explorer, grazier and later governor, immigrated from England to New South Wales in 1833 to establish himself in the burgeoning pastoral industry. Eyre first came to King George Sound in January 1840 bringing sheep and cattle which he then drove overland to the Swan River Settlement. However, he was keen to one day explore the possibilities of an overland route from the east to the west. He returned to Adelaide taking with him Wylie, an Aborigine of King George Sound area, who was just nearing manhood (about 16 years old). At Adelaide a committee had been formed to organize an expedition to explore an overland route to the west and Eyre offered his services. On 18 June 1840 Eyre set out from Adelaide and after a few months he and his team including Wylie arrived at Fowler's Bay and set up a depot. After several failed attempts to make it west, he and his team finally left Fowler's Bay on 25 February 1841 to again attempt it. It was a troubled (and contentious) journey from the beginning and in the end Eyre and Wylie only remained. They struggled on to the west, finally reaching Albany on 7 July 1841. Eyre was awarded the founder's gold medal of the Royal Geographical Society in 1847 for his efforts, and the society also published three of his papers. Wylie was commended to the Governor for remaining with Eyre through the difficult journey and was rewarded with a weekly ration of flour and meat by the government and £2 and a medal by the Agricultural Society of Perth. He went on to serve as a police constable but was suspended because, as it was stated on the public record of the time ‘…his duties were hampered by his tribal connexions and his addiction to drink’. (Australian Dictionary of Biography) When word got back to Eyre of his plight, Eyre apparently arranged for Wylie’s small ration to be increased. Wylie disappeared from history records around 1853 and not much is known of his later life. In 1946 the name Wylie Crescent was proposed by the Council for a street at Middleton Beach as part of a campaign by the Council to name all the yet un-named streets in Albany. Although the Council at the time thought this would be a way of honouring Wylie for enduring the dangers of the journey with Eyre, a group of local ratepayers lodged a petition to Council in 1946 believing that the street had already been given the name “The Cresent” in 1940 and they didn’t want it changed. There was also at the time a clear division of attitudes in the community to naming streets after Aboriginal people. However, the Council had never formally named the street as it wasn’t a gazetted street at this time. The street name sign was installed by a local resident. After some heated debate, Letters to the Editor and Council meetings, the name Wylie Crescent was finally adopted in June 1946. At the same time as the Wylie Crescent debate, plans were underway for a park in Middleton Beach originally named Eyre Gardens Reserve then later Eyre Park. The Albany Council organised a competition for the park design which included a £50 prize which was won by Harry Baxter of South Perth. Baxter's vision for Eyre Park comprised a feature ornamental lake with gardens and sporting facilities also provided. By 1948 work was in progress but proceeded slowly for the next 10 years. Interesting that no debate about the name of Eyre Park emerged, as was the case for Wylie Crescent. The memorial, installed in c1965 appears to have been funded and placed by ‘two lovers of history’ but their names are not attached to the memorial. The monument at Allambie Park Cemetery is one of five that commemorate Edward John Eyre and Wiley trek across Australia in 1841: • The first is in Eucla in the vicinity of the Eucla Roadhouse, on Eyre Highway. The monument commemorates the explorers Edward John Eyre, Baxter and Wylie who camped at Eucla in 1841 on their journey from Fowlers Bay to Albany. • The second is situated at Rossiter Bay, Cape Le Grand, near Bird Sanctuary, Esperance. The memorial cairn commemorates Eyre and his guide Wylie, who luckily came across Captain Rossiter and his whaling crew at this point in 1841 after having made a very gruelling and tragic crossing of the coastline of the Great Australian Bight. • The third is situated in Esperance at Eleven Mile Beach, Pink Lake. The monument commemorates the Eyre and Wylie’s journey who passed here on 18 June 1941 on their 1500km journey from Fowlers Bay to Albany. • The fourth is the monument in Allambie Park, Walmsley. • The fifth is situated in front of the Old Post Office Building Stirling Street and Spencer Street Albany on the Old Telegraph Memorial. The plaque commemorates the sesquicentenary re-enactment of the journey of Eyre and Wylie. They arrived in Albany in July 1841 and stayed for a week at Skerrats Family Hotel on the corner of Stirling Terrace and York Street.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity: High Authenticity: High/Moderate

Condition

Good

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Last Update