The correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller: Omeo, 16th December, 1854. ¶ Sir ¶ , ¶ ¶ I do myself the honor of laying before you, for communication to His Excellency the Lieutenant Governor, an account of my journey as far as this locality. ¶ ...

Document information

Physical location:

L55/36, unit 203, VPRS 1189 inward registered correspondence, VA 475 Chief Secretary's Department, Public Record Office, Victoria. 54.12.16

Plant names

Alchemilla
Search for Alchemilla in
Astelia
Search for Astelia in
Asteliaceae
Search for Asteliaceae in
Bartramia
Search for Bartramia in
Bellendena
Search for Bellendena in
- This website
- Australian Plant Name Index
Boronia
Search for Boronia in
Bryum
Search for Bryum in
Calystegia
Search for Calystegia in
Carex
Search for Carex in
Cassia
Search for Cassia in
- This website
- Australian Plant Name Index
Chaetospora
Search for Chaetospora in
Chorysanthis
Search for Chorysanthis in
- This website
- Australian Plant Name Index
Cryptandra
Search for Cryptandra in
Decaspora
Search for Decaspora in
- This website
- Australian Plant Name Index
Drosera
Search for Drosera in
Emex
Search for Emex in
Erysimum
Search for Erysimum in
Eucalyptus phlebophylla
Search for Eucalyptus phlebophylla in
- This website
- Australian Plant Name Index
Eurybia
Search for Eurybia in
- This website
- Australian Plant Name Index
Fonidium Barbarea
Search for Fonidium Barbarea in
- This website
- Australian Plant Name Index
Gastrodia
Search for Gastrodia in
Grevillea
Search for Grevillea in
Haplopappus
Search for Haplopappus in
- This website
- Australian Plant Name Index
Hedwigia
Search for Hedwigia in
Hypnum
Search for Hypnum in
Ionidium
Search for Ionidium in
- This website
- Australian Plant Name Index
Jungermannia
Search for Jungermannia in
Lecanora
Search for Lecanora in
- This website
- Australian Plant Name Index
Lepidosperma
Search for Lepidosperma in
Leucopogon
Search for Leucopogon in
Levanora
Search for Levanora in
- This website
- Australian Plant Name Index
Myosotis
Search for Myosotis in
Oreobolus
Search for Oreobolus in
Ozothamnus
Search for Ozothamnus in
Pamaderris
Search for Pamaderris in
- This website
- Australian Plant Name Index
Patersonia
Search for Patersonia in
Pentachondra
Search for Pentachondra in
Pimelia
Search for Pimelia in
- This website
- Australian Plant Name Index
Plantaga
Search for Plantaga in
- This website
- Australian Plant Name Index
Plantago
Search for Plantago in
Pleurandra
Search for Pleurandra in
- This website
- Australian Plant Name Index
Podocarpus montana
Search for Podocarpus montana in
- This website
- Australian Plant Name Index
Pomaderris
Search for Pomaderris in
Prasophyllum
Search for Prasophyllum in
Pterostylis
Search for Pterostylis in
Rammoulus
Search for Rammoulus in
- This website
- Australian Plant Name Index
Ranunculus
Search for Ranunculus in
Schidiomyrtus
Search for Schidiomyrtus in
- This website
- Australian Plant Name Index
Stackhousia
Search for Stackhousia in
Veronica
Search for Veronica in
Viola
Search for Viola in

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to William Haines, 1854-12-16. R.W. Home, Thomas A. Darragh, A.M. Lucas, Sara Maroske, D.M. Sinkora, J.H. Voigt and Monika Wells (eds), Correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller, <https://vmcp.rbg.vic.gov.au/id/54-12-16>, accessed April 19, 2025

Letter not found. The file comprises a cover sheet and a copy of B55.01.01. For the text given here, see B55.01.01. Many of the plant names were incorrectly printed, M apparently not having the opportunity of seeing proofs. Corrected spellings are given in the notes to this letter; the names were correctly spelled in the version of the letter published by W. Hooker (B55.07.01). These printers' errors are not included in the index to plant names, which uses the corrected spellings of names in this letter.

A copy of the printed report was sent to the Royal Geographical Society, London by the Colonial Office. It was read at the meeting of 12 November 1855 and in December was sent to be refereed for the Journal. Filed with the printed report is a letter from P. Strzelecki to N. Shaw, 28 December 1855, recommending that as it did 'not furnish any additional information' to that in published sources [titles but not authors given, but are Strzelecki (1845), pp. 62-3 and W. Clarke (1853)], and that 'the positions of the localities which Mr Müller mentions [have] not been laid down by him or ascertained either by the sextant or Mt. Barometer so as to serve as check to the observations of his predecessors', publication in the 'Journal of the R. Geographical Society appears to be without any practical advantage' (Royal Geographical Society, Archives, Journal Mss, Australia 1856; Mueller, F., Australian Alps). It did not appear in the Journal. Nevertheless, an 'abstract' comprising the very lightly edited text of all but the paragraph containing the list of plant names was published in the Proceedings (B57.13.06).

Omeo, 16th December, 1854.

Sir,

I do myself the honor of laying before you, for communication to His Excellency the Lieutenant Governor, an account of my journey as far as this locality.

Leaving Melbourne on the 1st of November, I travelled through the Fern-tree Gullies to the La Trobe River, and thence to the Avon, and ascended Mount Wellington from the ranges of the latter stream on the 14th of November. The altitude of this mountain appears to me more than 5,000 feet, a snow storm lasting here, even at so advanced a season, for a whole day. The main journey to the central part of the Australian Alps I commenced again from the Avon on the 22nd November, proceeding to the Mitchell River, and thence to the Dargo. Following along the scrubby ranges between this river and the Wentworth, I crossed the Dividing Range between the waters of Gipps' Land and those of the Murray River near the upper part of the Cabongra.

Cobungra. It would seem that the stream that M followed down after crossing the divide, that he here calls the Cobungra, was what is now known as Spring Creek; see Home (2014).

Thence I traversed a grassy table land in a north-easterly direction along the Cabongra downward, until the country appeared practicable, towards the north, to reach the highest part of the Bogong Ranges.

The ranges hereabouts, which never before have been traversed by civilized men, are generally fertile, and timbered with the mountain White Gum tree ( ).

On the 3rd December I ascended the south-eastern of the two highest mountains of the Bogong Range. In its upper regions even the vegetation of bushes ceases, the slightly arched summit being covered with Alpine grasses and herbs. About noon I ascertained the boiling water point to be 198°, according to Fahrenheit's thermometer, and 75° according to Reaumur's scale. I am at present unable to calculate from this the barometer height and approximative altitude of this mountain, but I believe that it will be found nearly 7,000 feet above the level of the sea. The much more abrupt and yet higher summit of the north-western mount I ascended from the Upper Mitta Mitta,

The river now known as the Cobungra.

which skirts its base, on the 6th December. The boiling water point I observed again to be 198° F. (although the elevation of this mountain is unquestionably higher to the extent of several hundred feet), a circumstance owing to the greater atmospherical pressure of that day. The observation was instituted during the afternoon about three o'clock. On both these mountains mighty masses of snow lay far below the summits, lodging chiefly in the ravines, and these never melt entirely under the heat of the summer sun.

Considering that mountains of such altitude, probably the two highest in the Australian Continent, deserve distinctive names, I solicit His Excellency's permission to name the grandest of both Mount Hotham, and the second in height Mount La Trobe,

M's names were not preserved, the surveyors who followed him into the area being unable to reconcile the compass bearings he gives here with their theodolite readings. The problem is now attributed to distortion of the compass bearings by magnetism in the underlying rocks; see Gillbank (1992). The mountains that M named Hotham and La Trobe are thought to be those now known as Mts Loch and Feathertop.

— as I trust to be entitled to the great honor of being the first man who ever reached these commanding summits of the Australian highland. The sky being fortunately clear during the ascent of Mount Hotham, I enjoyed a most extensive and unrestricted view over the Alps, and I did not lose this opportunity of taking bearings over to some of the principal mountains already included in the trigonometrical survey of Australia. From Mount Hotham bore Mount Aberdeen (the southern peak in the Buffalo Ranges) W. 10° N., the most northern peak of the same range W. 30° N., Mount Buller W. 35° S., Mount M'Millan (of Townsend, or Castel Hill of Tyers) due S., the Cobboras

Cobberas.

mountains (between Omeo and Maneroo

Monaro.

) E. 12° N., Mount Wellington S. 10° W., Mount La Trobe (distant about eight miles) S. 25° E. Farther bearings were made to Mount Leichardt E. 30° N., to Mitchell's Plateau (in about equal distance with Mount Buller) S. 40° W., to Kennedy's Height (a rocky hill in the snowy table land, and about six miles distant) E. 5° S., to Hooker's Plateau (about fifteen miles distant) N. 25° E. The bearings from Mount La Trobe were as follow:— Mitchell's Plateau S. 15°W. Mount Aberdeen W. 5° S., Clarke's Peak (between Mitchell's Plateau and the Buffalo Ranges) S. 30° W., Mount Hotham N. 25° W. Mounts Buller, Wellington, M'Millan, and other mountains were concealed in clouds. I hope that these bearings, although only taken with a simple pocket compass, will be found sufficient and correct enough to fix the position of these mountains until an exact survey of this interesting part of the country will be performed. The signification "Bogong Range" ought to be abandoned, as the natives apply it to any of the lofty mountains when in the fissures of the rocks, chiefly when covered with the spreading Alp pine (Podorarpus

Podocarpus.

montana), the Bogong moth occurs. One of the main branches of the Mitta Mitta has its sources at Mount La Trobe, and those of another, as well as those of the Ovens and Mitchell, lay in a lower range not far distant. This snowy highland is in many places well grassed, and the lower parts of it will be doubtless occupied as cattle runs as soon as the discovery of a workable Gold Field opens this part of the Colony. The prevailing rock is sandstone, often accompanied by slate and quartz. Granite is comparatively rare.

After extending my journeys over several mountains in the neighbourhood, and an exploration of the Upper Mitta Mitta, I went over a generally fertile country to Omeo.

The amount of additional plants for the Flora of Victoria, obtained during this part of my expedition, is nearly sixty species, comprising the following genera:— , , Chactospora,

, Stirostylis,

, , ,

, Devaspora,

, , ,

Veronita,

, Lemapogon,

, , , Fonidium,

Barbarea, , , , , , , , Carix,

, Pentachomdra,

Fungermannia,

, , , , , , Hedivigia,

Oreobalus,

, . Several of the species are perfectly unknown, and nine of the genera and one natural order ( ) were previously also not represented in this Colony.

It is my intention to proceed without delay from here to the Cobboras, thence to Maneroo and the Mungang mountains, by which excursions the botanical examination of the Australian Alps will be completed.

I have the honor to be,

Sir

Your most obedient and humble servant,

FERD. MUELLER.

The Honorable The Colonial Secretary.

On 6 January 1855 Lieut. Governor Hotham instructed: 'acknowledge the receipt of a most interesting report — accede to Mr Müllers request — Priv Sec to transmit it to England & support its being sent to Geographical Society.'

A copy of M's report was duly sent to the Secretary of State for the Colonies on 31 January 1855 with the suggestion that it 'might with propriety be forwarded to the Geographical Society.' The report was received on 12 May 1855 with the comment: 'An interesting little report, but I wish he had told us something of the hydrography of this range.' (Despatch no. 22, unit 2, p. 368, VPRS 1084, PROV; Public Record Office, London, CO 309/31, ff. 203-4).