Summary

One of thirty-two black and white photographs in an album taken by Archibald James Campbell during a Field Naturalists' Club of Victoria expedition to King Island in November 1887. The aim of the expedition was to "before the introduction of numerous foreign plants and animals rendered it impossible to do so, to ascertain as precisely as we could in the short time at our disposal the fauna and flora indigenous to the island." The party included 26 members of the Field Naturalists including sportsmen, oologists, botanists, conchologists and taxidermists but as they noted in their report "all were transformed into collectors of anything which might throw light upon the living inhabitants, both animal and plant, of the island." The main camp consisted of 10 tents nestled into a sheltered spot beside Yellow River Creek. The party had little more than two weeks for their survey and they used the base to venture out and collected specimens. The frenzied collecting is witnessed in this image, while living specimens of possum and bird are held by field naturalists the disarray of the camp reveals drying pelts and sea stars laid out on the ground.

Description of Content

Three members of the Field Naturalists Club of Victoria in front of one of the campsite tents at Yellow Rock Beach, King Island. One of the men is holding a rifle and another is carrying a pail and a hatchet. Camping utensils on the ground include a billy can, plates and bottles. In the foreground is a camera mounted on a tripod. Photograph taken by Archibald J. Campbell, ornithologist and photographer, during a scientific expedition by the group to the island in November 1887.

Physical Description

Black and white photograph mounted on off-white card in bound album.

More Information