Dick of the

Barkinji The Paakantyi, or Barkindji or Barkandji, are an Australian Aboriginal tribal group of the Darling River (known to them as the Baaka) basin in Far West New South Wales, Australia. Name The ethnonym Paakantyi means "River people", formed fro ...

people, also known as ''Mountain'', was an

Australian explorer Australian(s) may refer to: Australia * Australia, a country * Australians, citizens of the Commonwealth of Australia ** European Australians ** Anglo-Celtic Australians, Australians descended principally from British colonists ** Aboriginal Aus ...

who was on the Burke and Wills support expedition. Dick was a member of the

people from the Darling River, who were on good terms with the

Europeans Europeans are the focus of European ethnology, the field of anthropology related to the various ethnic groups that reside in the states of Europe. Groups may be defined by common genetic ancestry, common language, or both. Pan and Pfeil (2004) ...

. Dick probably came into contact with British settlers who were establishing farms along the Darling River during his youth. He was on the Burke and Wills expedition support expedition from the Murray River to Coopers Creek, in September 1860, when Trouper Lyons and Alexander MacPherson became lost in the Gibber desert, south of Coopers Creek.

Dick ''accompanied Trooper Lyons and Alexander MacPherson when they set out from Menindie to convey despatches to Burke. When they became lost and desperately short of provisions and water, Dick conveyed them to the care of local Aborigines. He then returned to camp, walking for eight days after having run his horse into the ground.''

A brass plate and 5 guineas were presented to Dick in September 1861 by

Governor of Victoria The governor of Victoria is the representative of the monarch, King Charles III, in the Australian state of Victoria. The governor is one of seven viceregal representatives in the country, analogous to the governors of the other states, and the ...

Henry Barkley.Telegrams and Chequebook
The Burke and wills Research Gateway.

References

{{reflist, 30em Explorers of Australia Year of birth unknown Burke and Wills expedition Year of death missing Australian explorers