Early in 1836 Charles Darwin spent two months in Australia as part of his round-the-world voyage on HMS Beagle. During this time he visited Sydney, travelled on horseback to Bathurst, visited Hobart and called in to King George Sound. In addition to making extensive notes on geology and recording some observations on natural history, Darwin interacted with several of the colonies’ leading citizens, including the Kings and Macarthurs in Sydney, and Alfred Stephen and George Frankland in Hobart. This lecture will summarise Darwin’s experiences in Australia through the eyes of his field notes and diary, illustrated with beautiful contemporary Australian paintings by two of Australia’s most famous early artists, Augustus Earle and Conrad Martens, both of whom had been Darwin’s Beagle shipmates earlier in the voyage.
Frank Nicholas is Emeritus Professor of Animal Genetics in the Faculty of Veterinary Science at the University of Sydney.
Admission: Free
