Journal of a Tour of Discovery Across the Blue Mountains in New South Wales in the Year 1813

Gregory Blaxland's 1823 journal is a firsthand account of the first successful European crossing of the Blue Mountains undertaken a decade earlier. Alongside William Lawson and William Charles Wentworth, Blaxland led the expedition that opened the western interior of New South Wales to colonial expansion. The journal captures not only the physical challenges of the crossing but also the natural landscape, observations of flora and fauna, and the strategic planning involved in overcoming the formidable terrain.

Regarded as a foundational document in Australian exploration history, this work provides insight into colonial perspectives and the ambitions of early European settlers. It marks a pivotal moment in the expansion of British settlement beyond the Cumberland Plain.