Last changed 11 December 2021

1960 NTA traverse

March-April 1960 NT Administration traverse from Tennant Creek to Hooker Creek (Lajamanu)
Vern T O’Brien, surveyor
Ian D Michael, stock inspector
Kevin ‘Blondie’ Smith, survey driver

left Tennant Creek 28 March 1960
camped at 'Blondie’s Swamp' 29-30/3/60 (name not officially recognised)

My main memory is of 5 days of almost featureless travel before sighting the Buchanan Hills & Lotharia Hill. (Ian Michael, p.c.)

Ian Michael became assistant manager of VRD in 1966 and manager 1968–74.

The following year O'Brien made a similar traverse.

References

Michael, Ian D. 1960. Exploratory Survey of Desert Area West of Tennant Creek to Hooker's Creek. Animal Industry Branch, Alice Springs. 26th April, 1960. 4pp. Appendix 1 to O'Brien 1960.

O'Brien, V.T. 1960. Exploratory Survey of Desert Area West of Tennant Creek. [Report to Director Lands, Darwin.] Survey Branch, Department of Lands, Alice Springs. 23rd June, 1960. 5 pages, with 4 Appendices.

O'Brien, V.T. 1961. Exploratory Survey west of Tennant Creek. Map 1:1000000 [REB 1.6.60] 41/60

Letters from VT O’Brien: 6 July 1984, 2p. (S76/1090 L757); 19 March 1992 (S76/1090), 1p.

Email from Ian Michael, 2 May 2000.

To Karlantijpa page

URL http://www.anu.edu.au/linguistics/nash/kt/1960-OBrien.html