| Fitzroy
Crossing
Latitude 18 11 S Longitude 125 35
E
The townsite of Fitzroy Crossing
located in the southern Kimberley district 2256 km north north west
of Perth, was gazetted a townsite in 1975. The town however was settled
around the turn of the century, being first shown on maps in 1903.
The name is descriptive, as it is located at a crossing on the Fitzroy
River.
The Fitzroy River, was discovered
and named by Captain John Lort Stokes of the "Beagle" in
1838. He named it after Capt. Robert FitzRoy, who was captain of the
"Beagle" from 1831 to 1836 during its voyage around the
world. Stokes was mate and assistant surveyor on the "Beagle"
under FitzRoy, with Charles Darwin the naturalist. In naming the FitzRoy
River Stokes stated in his journal "I determined, with Captain
Wickham's permission, to call this river after his name, thus perpetuating
by the most durable of monuments, the services and the career of one,
in whom, with rare and enviable prodigality, are mingled the daring
of the seaman, the accomplishments of the student, and the graces
of the Christian – of whose calm fortitude in the hour of impending
danger, or whose habitual carefulness for the interests of all under
his command, if I forbear to speak, I am silent because, while I recognise
their existence, and perceive how much they exalt the character they
adorn, I feel, too, that they have elevated it above, either the need,
or the reach of any eulogy within my power to offer". This river,
with its tributary the Hann, is the longest system in the Kimberley
at 733 km. It was first traversed by Alexander Forrest in 1879. The
Fitzroy rises in the King Leopold Range and empties into King Sound
south of Derby.
Harvesting
the Net
sponsored by the
Western Australian Department of Agriculture
Click on the small picture to enlarge |
