1847 map of Australasia - by William Hughes
1847 map of Australasia - by William Hughes
‘Am I seeing wrong or is Victoria labelled “Felix”???
Australia Felix (Latin for “fortunate Australia” or “happy Australia”) was an early name given by Thomas Mitchell to lush pasture in parts of western Victoria he explored in 1836 on his third expedition. On this expedition Mitchell was instructed to travel to Menindee, then down the Darling River to the sea, if it flowed there; or, if it flowed into the Murray River to go up the Murray to the inhabited parts of the colony. However lack of water forced Mitchell to follow the Lachlan River to the south-west as the only practicable route. He reached the Murrumbidgee on 12 May and followed it to the Murray’