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Lefroy arrived in Fremantle in 1841. The following year he
set out with Henry Landor on an expedition to explore the area south east of the
current site of York.
He returned to England and served in the Royal Navy before coming back to
Western Australia as Assistant Superintendent of Convicts.
In 1860 he followed the Williams River into the Darling Scarp and in 1863 he led
an expedition from York towards the current sites of Bruce Rock and Coolgardie.
The countryside was very dry and at one point the party was without water for 4
days. After 85 days they returned to York. Like others who were to follow in his
footsteps, Lefroy was unaware of the gold that he had passed over.
Lefroy was not impressed by some of the country they passed over (near the
current town of Kukerin) and wrote:
‘the desert has a most repelling appearance, but would be interesting to cross
in the proper season which might be done following the river Lefroy in the month
of August.’
The expedition had covered some 945 miles by the time they returned to York.
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