Ernest Giles
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Photo in the frontespiece of his Australia Twice Traversed
William Ernest Powell Giles (July 7, 1835–November 20, 1897), best known as Ernest Giles, was an Australian explorer who led three major expeditions in central Australia.
[edit] Biography
Ernest Giles was born on July 7, 1835 in England. At the age of 15, he emigrated to Australia, taking up residence in Adelaide. During the next few years, he took employment at various cattle and sheep stations, and developed a keen bush sense.
He was the first European to see the rock formations of The Olgas, now known by their Aboriginal name of Kata Tjuta, and Lake Amadeus. He had wanted to name these Lake Ferdinand and Mt Mueller respectively, to honour his benefactor Baron Ferdinand von Mueller, however Mueller prevailed on him to instead honour the King of Spain and the Queen of Württemberg.
He named the Gibson Desert, after his travelling companion Alfred Gibson who disappeared there. He crossed the desert from Port Augusta to Western Australia, then back again via a different route in order to search for any trace of Gibson. On a number of occasions, he was close to death from starvation or thirst, but managed to make his way through. He was made a fellow, and gold medallist, of the Royal Geographical Society of London. He published an account of his expeditions from 1872 to 1876 as Australia Twice Traversed.
Despite his explorations, the various Australian governments at the time turned their respective backs on his achievements once they had been completed, and refused to patronise any further exploits or give him much in the way of financial reward.
He made a number of other minor journeys, but ended his days as a clerk on the Western Australian goldfields. He eventually died of pneumonia, virtually forgotten, on 20 November 1897, and is buried at Coolgardie Cemetery. His descendants still live in South Australia today.
