ABSTRACT
Victoria. The most important early explorers in this direction were Hami l ton Hume and Wi l l i am Hovel l . Hume was born in Australia, at Parramatta, and began his travels when he was only 17 years old. Between 1814 and 1822 he explored territory around Goulburn and Yass, just north of presentday Canberra, and eventually set up a substantial farm at Yass. In 1824 he and Hovel l , a retired sea captain, were commissioned by governor Sir Thomas Brisbane of New South Wales to map out a route to Australia's south coast.
