Editing Hamilton Hume (section)

===Hume and Hovell expedition===
{{Main|Hume and Hovell expedition}}
In 1824, Hume was seen by [[Thomas Makdougall Brisbane|Governor Brisbane]] with reference to an expedition to [[Spencer Gulf]]. Brisbane was also in touch about this time with [[William Hovell]] on the same subject, but it is not quite clear which of the men was the first to be approached. In any event, the hoped-for government funding of the expedition was not forthcoming, so that eventually the two men decided to make the journey at their own expense, except for some packsaddles, arms, clothes and blankets, which were provided from government stores.

Hume, in a letter dated 24 January 1825, (immediately after the return of the explorers), practically claimed to have been the leader of the party. He refers to ''"the expedition your Excellency was pleased to entrust to my care"''. But Brisbane did not accept this view of it, as in a letter to the secretary, Wilmot Horton, dated 24 March 1825 he mentions the ''"discovery of new and valuable country . . . by two young men Messrs Hovell and Hume . . . they were directed by me to try and reach Spencer's Gulf"''. It may also be pointed out that in the letter to Brisbane of 28 July 1824, Hovell signed first. These facts are of interest in view of the controversy which broke out many years later.

Each of the explorers brought three assigned servants with him and between them they had five bullocks, three horses and two carts. Much of the journey was through difficult mountain country, and the party had to cross the major [[Murrumbidgee River]], [[Murray River]], [[Mitta Mitta River]], [[Ovens River]], and [[Goulburn River]]. Hovell had named the Murray River after Hume during the trip but [[Charles Sturt]] altered it to its current name in 1830.

Four days after crossing the Goulburn impassable country was reached. The party spent three days attempting to cross the [[Great Dividing Range]] at Mt Disappointment but were thwarted. Hume shifted direction to the West then reached lower land at the future township of [[Broadford, Victoria|Broadford]] on the 12 December where they camped.<ref>Hovell, William H., Remarks on a journey from Lake George, Lat. 35 deg. 5 min., Long. – towards Western Port, 2 October – 21 December 1824, Safe 1/32b, IE3447307, 1825, p. 143, SLNSW.</ref>
Hume headed towards low ranges to the South and found a pass in that direction next day. He led the party across the Dividing Range at [[Hume’s Pass]], [[Wandong]] and on the 16th December, 1824 reached [[Port Phillip Bay]] at Bird Rock, Point Lillias adjacent to the future [[Geelong]].<ref>Williams, Martin. Hamilton Hume Sketch Maps: Origins and Modern Treatment, Victorian Historical Journal, Vol. 92, No. 1, June 2021, p. 21.</ref>
Hovell claimed that he measured their longitude on the same day but in reality he read it off the sketch map that he and Hume had drafted themselves during the trip.<ref>Williams, Martin. Hamilton Hume Sketch Maps: Origins and Modern Treatment, Victorian Historical Journal, Vol. 92, No. 1, June 2021, p. 13.</ref>
Hovell admitted in 1867 that he did not take any longitude measurements and blamed Hume for it.<ref>William H. Hovell, Answer to the Preface to the Second Edition of Mr. Hamilton Hume’s ‘A Brief Statement of Facts’ in Connection with an Overland Expedition from Lake George to Port Phillip, in 1824, Sydney, J. Ferguson, 1874, p. 8.</ref>
Prior to this admission, Dr William Bland, who wrote the first book on the journey in 1831, invented the myth that Hovell made an error of one degree in longitude in order to protect him.<ref>William Bland, Journey of Discovery to Port Phillip, New South Wales; by Messrs. W. H. Hovell, and Hamilton Hume in 1824 and 1825. W. Bland, Sydney, A.H. Hill, 1831, Facsimile Edition, Adelaide Libraries Board of South Australia, 1965, p. iii.</ref>

The party turned back towards [[New South Wales]] on the 18 December. Hume chose to travel more to the west to avoid the mountainous country and save considerable time. On 16 January 1825, just as their flour ran out, they reached the carts they had left behind them, and then two days later the safety of Hume's station at [[Gunning, New South Wales|Gunning]].<ref>Bland 1831 p. 86.</ref>

Hume and Hovell each received grants of {{convert|1200|acre|km2}} of land, an inadequate reward for discoveries of great importance made by an expedition which, practically speaking, paid its own expenses. This expedition was the first to discover an overland route from southern New South Wales to [[Port Phillip]], on whose shores [[Melbourne]] now stands.