{p.e. strzelecki} Sir Pawel Edmund Strzelecki Traveler and researcher. With an impossible to pronounce surname he was known simply as The Count. Indeed, Strzelecki was a Polish nobleman . He had one goal which became his life mission - to leave traces in the course of the world history. He strongly believed into the power of human mind and technical civilization, he advocated the need of rational exploitation of the Earth by humans, he believed in social justice and equal rights for all people, the Indians, Aborigines and Polynesians included. He especially emphasized improper and destructive treatment of the black indigenous people. He spoke his mind and his voice gained as many friends as enemies. He earned his place in Australian history books even though he spent there merely four years of his life : - walked over one thousand kilometer (700 miles) with a backpack full of heavy measuring instruments; localized numerous coal layers, found traces of gold, silver, monoxides, phosphates, sulphates, iron arsenates, titanium monoxides, lead molybdates, but also opals, agates, asbestos, and porcelain clay. climbed, measured and named the highest peak of the continent, Mount Kosciuszko named the extensive areas of New South Wales Gippsland he was the first white man to set his foot on south-western Gippsland and some parts of Tasmania he was the first to care about Australian ecology, indicating the destructive effects of forests and underbrush destruction he was the first to emphasize the need to irrigate the New South Wales and Tasmania on a large scale, the pioneer of the Australian meteorology drew the first synthetic map of geology of the eastern part of Australia in 1845 published in London first scientific book on Australia: "Physical Description of New South Wales. Accompanied by a Geological Map, Sections and Diagrams, and Figures of the Organic Remains". The book consists of accounts of marine and continental discoveries accompanied by descriptions of geology, mineralogy, magnetic variations, climate, botany, zoology, indigenous inhabitants, with special analysis of agricultural prospects to which he devoted almost one forth of the entire book of 460 pages. Carl Darwin wrote to Strzelecki thanking him for a copy of his book: "Congratulations on completing work, which surely took a lot of efforts. I am surprised with the number of significant matters you describe. Let me express my regret on the absence of the more extensive extracts from A Journal from the Journey. I hope that one day it will be published unabridged… I wish with all my heart that the fourth part of our English writers could think and write in language half as lively but simple at the same time as yours." (own translation). Governer George Gipps wrote Lord Russel in 1840: "It is my pleasure to hereby send Your Lordship a journey account delivered by The Count and I couldn't do that without informing you about the respect and gratitude he has widely gained among the inhabitants of the colony". History treated Strzelcki heartlessly. Someone else was awarded in 1851 for discovering gold in Australia despite protest of Strzelecki's friends initiated into a matter kept in secret. It was governor Gipps who asked Strzelecki in 1840 to keep the gold discovery in secret in fear of anarchy that would surely be born at gold news. A mountain, he called Adine, has different name today. There have been attempts of taking away the honours of climbing and naming the highest peak of Australian Alps. Mount Kosciuszko named by Strzelecki in honour of the Polish general however mispronounced and difficult to remember for non Polish speakers now has its Aboriginal equivalent Mt Munyong, one that is easier to pronounce. Is it worth demanding his well deserved place in people's memory as well as encyclopedias? Surely, it is. Strzelecki was one of the most brilliant men of the 19th century., precursor of modern ideas, who should be remembered by both environment protection enthusiasts and progress and civilization advocates. Strzelecki's journeys: Strzelecki's round the world travel routes: : Western Expedition: August 1839-November 1839 Southern Expedition: December 1839-May1840 Expeditions into Tasmania: July 1840-February 1842 Northern Expedition: October 1842- April 1843 Strzelecki's Traces on the maps of Australia: Captain Charles Sturt often called the 'father of Australian discoverers', to honour the Pole, named discovered by himself in 1845 seasonal river Strzelecki Creek connecting Cooper Creek with Lake Blanche. Other places were named after this river: Strzelecki Track, Strzelecki Desert, Strzelecki Regional Reserve, Strzelecki Crossing, Strzelecki Hill, Strzelecki Oil Well. There even was a cinema for Strzelecki Maintenance Gang workers on a desert, called "Strzelecki Odeon". A monograph, entitled "The Strzelecki Track. Lifeline to the Corner Country" (Department of Road Transport, Australia 1996) and written by Peter and June Donovan, calls the whole region, larger in area than Poland, Strzelecki Country. In 1860 John McDouall Stuart, to honour the Polish explorer, named the highest mountain in Crawford Range, north of Alice Springs, Mount Strzelecki. Seven memorable monuments were erected in 1927 on the track of Strzelecki's travel through Gippsland: in Heyfield, Mirboo North, Leongatha, Korumburra, Koornalla, Loy Yang (near Traralgon) and Corinella. To memorize Strzelecki journeys in the South, several names have been left on the map of Australia: Strzelcki Ranges (mountains with Strzelecki Koala species living there), Strzelecki State Forest (north of Foster and Toora), Strzelcki Hwy (from Mirboo North to Morwell) and in Traralgon - Strzelecki Motor Lodge. "Jenny, Native of Port Sorell, Van Diemen's Land" [w:] Strzelecki, Paul de, "Physical Description of New South Wales and Van Diemen's Land" (London, Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, 1845) Calendar of the Australian explorations by Strzelecki: 1839 January- April Arrives in New Zealand 25 April On board Justine he arrives in Port Jackson, Sydney 7 June At the dinner party held by Governor Gipps in Government House he meets Lady Franklin from Hobart and receives an invitation to Tasmania August Sets off onto a 3-month journey: Blue Mountains, Grose River accompanied by two ex-exiles October He discovers gold and silver in the area of Bathurst 28 November On his return to Sydeny he has a conversation with Goernor Gipps and is asked not to reveal the gold revelation. Strzelecki lives in Australian Club (former Pulteney Hotel) at the corner of Bent and O'Connel Streets. He becomes an honourable member of the Club. He meets and befriends James Mcarthur from Parramatt. He also meets Caroline Chischolm 20 December A meeting with W.B. Clarke, Australian geologist at a party held by the captain of the American marine expedition (two frigates "Vincennes" and "Peacock" plus a few smaller ship) on Antarctic waters. Strzelecki toasts Poland and Anglo- Saxon's credits in fights for freedom (he mentions Kosciuszko's name) 22 December The second Strzelecki's expedition to Yass Upland in James Mcarthur's company. Christmas on John Mcarthur's farm in Camden. 1840 12 March He discovers and names Mount Kosciuszko. He also names Gippsland the area on the other side of Dividing Ranges. Meets indigenous inhabitants of Gippsland. Strzelecki reaches Melbourne where he befriends Henry Gisborn (Commissioner of Crown Lands), together they publish a brochure on Gippsland. July He lands in Lauceston, Tasmania. Establishes laboratory at Dr William Pugh's He concentrates on meteorological measurements. Meanwhile, in Sydney, The Colonists publishes critical article about his discoveries in defense of Mc Millan's rights to the title of a discoverer 1841 13 February Singapore sails into Port Albert with English setllers who are to settle in the areas marked by Strzelecki on his map of Gippsland published in London. 28 November Strzelecki survives a thunderstorm on the slopes of Ben Lomond (northern Tasmania). He discovers coal layers there and starts friendships with governor Sir John Franklin (born in 1786) and Lady Jane franklin (born in 1793). They make plans for irrigation of the agricultural areas (drought destroyed the low land of Tasmania in 1841) 19 August "Sydney Morning Herald" publishes a fragment of Strzelecki's diary from journey 26 August Strzelecki's report for His Excellence Sir George Gipps is published in 'Parliamentary Papers' in Sydney 1842 13 January Strzelecki climbs the highest peak of Flinders Island (captain Stokes names it later Strzelecki Peak). Together with Franklin and Tasmanian Journal, he establishes Tasmanian Society of Natural Sciences 29 September He sails away to Sydney. An expedition to Newcastle area and Port Stephen 1843 During his stay at captain P.P. King's, the host hands him his own weather registries in New South Wales and Strzelecki renders all his meteorological theories to be tested. 22 April he sets out to France. Great Coral Reef, Bali, Singapore and Cairo are on his track.