Summary

In 1894 an expedition to Central Australia was organised by William Austin Horn (1841-1922) , a wealthy South Australian pastoralist and miner. The Victorian government commissioned Walter Baldwin Spencer to participate as the expedition zoologist and photographer. Baldwin Spencer was foundation Professor of Biology at the University of Melbourne and his experience and the friendships forged on this expedition would see a passion for anthropology and photography emerge that would dominate his career from that point onwards. Spencer not only joined what came to be known as the Horn Expedition, but would later edit the four volume report of its findings. The Expedition lasted only three months due to major issues amongst the other scientists in the group, however it was widely acclaimed and greatly increased knowledge about central Australia. It was at the end of the Horn Expedition at Alice Springs in July of 1894, where Baldwin Spencer and Frank Gillen, the operator of the Alice Springs Telegraph Station and the South Australian Government Sub-Protector of Aboriginal people met for the first time.

The photographs taken by Spencer during the Horn Expedition represent some of the earliest images of the centre. In the Journal of the Horn Scientific Exploring Expedition (published 1897) for Tuesday June 12 it was reported that, 'final preparations were made for dispatching under Mr. Cowle's guidance a detachment of the party to Ayers Rock'. On the following day the party 'were astir earlier than usual. Mr Cowle, with Professor Spencer and Messrs. Watt and Belt, who desired to participate in the trip, will leave the main party at this place and visit Ayers Rock and, if possible, Mount Olga, for the purpose of obtaining photographs of either or both of them.' Spencer and Cowle's party split from the main expedition for two weeks, and in that time this iconic photograph was taken of Ayers Rock, known to Pitjantjatjara people as Uluru and referred to as such, today.

Physical Description

Silver gelatin emulsion. Quarter plate.

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