Grave of explorer William Hovell, Goulburn, NSW - Grave of a Famous Person on Waymarking.com

A sailor, explorer and settler he was born on 26 April 1786 at Yarmouth, Norfolk, England. He married in May 1810 & sailed to Sydney in October 1813 having obtained a grant of land.

In November 1813 he chose a 600 acre site at Narellan & moved there in 1816. Like other settlers Hovell made short exploratory journeys in the country surrounding the Cumberland Plain and in 1823 discovered the Burragorang Valley. At this time the Governor Sir Thomas Brisbane hoped to have the country between Lake George and Bass Strait explored and planned an official expedition which never eventuated.

Hovell & Hume then decided to undertake the journey at their own expense, and on 17 October 1824 left Hume's station near Gunning for Westernport, the government having assisted them with some stores and equipment. After crossing the Murrumbidgee River, then in flood, they discovered a large river which Hovell named the Hume (later proved to be part of the Murray), crossed the Mitta Mitta, Goulburn and Ovens Rivers, and on 16 December sighted Port Phillip. An error in calculating their position led Hovell to believe that they had arrived on the western shore of Westernport, but they were on Corio Bay in Port Phillip. They returned to Gunning on 18 January 1825 and, as a result of their report, Brisbane decided to send a party to Westernport by sea. The party, which included Hovell, left Sydney late in 1826 under the command of Captain Wright and returned five months later. On arrival at Westernport Hovell realized his mistake; but the surrounding country was examined and 'great quantities of very fine coal' were discovered.

By his first wife Hovell had two children, Elizabeth Emily (1811-1848) and Arndell John Palmer (1813-1827). In 1848 at Goulburn he married Sophia Wilkinson (d.1876) who left £6000 to the University of Sydney to found the William Hilton Hovell lectureship in geology and physical geography. As a settler Hovell appears to have led a quiet and undistinguished life, his chief claim to fame being his part in the discovery of 'a vast range of country invaluable for every purpose of grazing and of agriculture—watered by numerous fine streams and rivers, and presenting an easy inland intercourse extending from Port Phillip and Westernport to the settled districts'.

He died in Sydney on 9 November 1875 and was buried at Goulburn, survived by a natural son.

Source of Information - Australian Dictionary of Biography: (visit link)

Description: A famous Australian explorer who along with Hamilton Hume discovered the Murray River, Australia's longest. Their discoveries lead to vast areas of well watered land in inland NSW & Victoria to be opened up for settlement. Date of birth: 04/26/1786 Date of death: 11/09/1875 Area of notoriety: Exploration Marker Type: Tomb (above ground) Setting: Outdoor Visiting Hours/Restrictions: Adjacent to high security Goulburn Gaol so not recommended at night Fee required?: No Web site: [Web Link]

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