Landsborough's Blazed Tree (Camp 69)
Landsborough's Blazed Tree (Camp 69)
Landsborough's Blazed Tree, Camp 69, is a heritage-listed coolibah tree on Mitchell Highway near Bakers Bend, south of Charleville, Queensland, Australia. The tree bears a blaze marked by explorer William Landsborough on 16 May 1862 during his southern expedition in search of Burke and Wills.
The blaze reads: V.+Q. EXPNL.C.69 MAY 16 1862. It was carved into an existing Aboriginal scar and was part of Landsborough’s system of marking trees along the route he used to drive livestock and explore western Queensland, from the Gulf of Carpentaria toward the Warrego River.
Why it matters: In 1862 Landsborough led the first official north-to-south crossing of the Australian continent. The blazed trees from his expedition, including Camp 69, are rare surviving evidence of this journey and the method he used to navigate the country. Only two Landsborough blazed trees survive in the Charleville district (Camp 67 and Camp 69).
Impact: Landsborough’s expedition helped open western Queensland to pastoral settlement and spurred interest in the region’s resources and potential land use. The tree remains a tangible link to this important chapter in Australian exploration history and Landsborough’s work with Indigenous guides who aided his journey.
Heritage listing: Landsborough's Blazed Tree, Camp 69 was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 18 June 2009 for its historical significance, rarity, and association with William Landsborough.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 06:38 (CET).