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  • Burke and Wills

  • The Triumph and Tragedy of Australia's Most Famous Explorers
  • By: Peter FitzSimons
  • Narrated by: Michael Carman
  • Length: 23 hrs and 43 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (503 ratings)

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Burke and Wills

By: Peter FitzSimons
Narrated by: Michael Carman
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Publisher's Summary

The iconic Australian exploration story - brought to life by Peter FitzSimons, Australia's storyteller.

'They have left here today!' he calls to the others. When King puts his hand down above the ashes of the fire, it is to find it still hot. There is even a tiny flame flickering from the end of one log. They must have left just hours ago.

Melbourne, 20 August 1860. In an ambitious quest to be the first Europeans to cross the harsh Australian continent, the Victorian Exploring Expedition sets off, with 15,000 well-wishers cheering them on. Led by Robert O'Hara Burke, a brave man totally lacking in the bush skills necessary for his task; surveyor and meteorologist William Wills; and 17 others, the expedition took 20 tons of equipment carried on six wagons, 23 horses and 26 camels.

Almost immediately plagued by disputes and sackings, the expeditioners battled the extremes of the Australian landscape and weather: its deserts, the boggy mangrove swamps of the Gulf, the searing heat and flooding rains. Food ran short and, unable to live off the land, the men nevertheless mostly spurned the offers of help from the local indigenous people.

In desperation, leaving the rest of the party at the expedition's depot on Coopers Creek, Burke, Wills, Charley Gray and John King made a dash for the Gulf in December 1860. Bad luck and bad management would see them miss by just hours a rendezvous back at Coopers Creek, leaving them stranded in the wilderness with practically no supplies. Only King survived to tell the tale. Yet, despite their tragic fates, the names of Burke and Wills have become synonymous with perseverance and bravery in the face of overwhelming odds. They live on in our nation's history - and their story remains immediate and compelling.

©2017 Peter FitzSimons (P)2017 Hachette Australia

What listeners say about Burke and Wills

Average Customer Ratings
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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Returned

I found this book long winded and boring for quite a few chapters. Returned it.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

A great tale of survival and tragedy

FitzSimon's narrative style brings the story to life in a way I hadn't previously experienced through reading other sources on the subject. Like any good story, it leaves you wanting more - and I've been researching all the tangents to this story since putting this book down.

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1 person found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

A good book

Worth the download. Greatly read and a insight to our beautiful country. If you want a good aussie book... This is the one

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

A remarkable Experience. Fantastic Performance.

Peter Fitzsimons has out done himself with this one. Perfectly researched. Fantastic storyline it was a joy. Michael Carman is a genius and possibly the best Australian Narrator I have listened to. He nailed the accents which gave perfect character to the players. Highly Recommended to everyone interested in the highs and lows of Australian history.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Great history lesson.

I loved the story. Very thorough . At times the details became heavy going but enjoyable.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Compelling and tragic Australian history

If you could sum up Burke and Wills in three words, what would they be?

Fascinating, compelling, tragic

What did you like best about this story?

The skillful development of the characters and the context of their actions.

Which character – as performed by Michael Carman – was your favourite?

Wills

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Not really - just fascination

Any additional comments?

Michael Carman does a superb job as narrator. Such a difficult task to convincingly carry off so many accents and keep you believing in the characters. Brilliant work.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Epic saga

What a story made all the more fascinating because it is true! PF’s teams research is impeccable as always & really gives you the story behind the story. An epic tale of stupidity, pompousness and arrogance mixed with an amazing example of human endurance & spirit. Burke; what an idiot what a champion.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Good story with obvious political bias and hypocrisy

Not a bad story however his narrative on indigenous peoples should be taken with a grain of salt… Anne they would be your wife’s cleaners?

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Excellent story

A well written and well told story that is lost for most Australians. Well done.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Burke got what he longed fir

I learnd so much from this book.i knew what was coming but was gutted when the truedetails were read to me on a stormy melbourne night. starving to death would be a Terrible way to die and having just read sandakan it made it even more haunting.to die so lonely. Burke wanted to be immortalised and he got his wish.may he and all those who were part of story rest in peace.

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In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.