Home > Allan Cunningham (botanist)

Allan Cunningham is primarily known for his travels in New South Wales to collect plants. He went to Brazil between 1814 and 1816, arriving in Australia in December of that year. Among other explorations, he joined John Oxley's 1817 expedition to the Lachlan and MacquarieThe Macquarie River is one of the main inland rivers in New South Wales. It headwaters rise in the central highlands of New South Wales near the town of Oberon. The river travels generally northwest past the towns of Bathurst, Wellington, Dubbo and Warren rivers and traveled as the ship's botanist aboard the HMS Mermaid from 1817 to 1820Events January 1 Constitutionalist military insurrection at Cadiz leads to summoning of Spanish parliament ( March 7) and restoration of 1812 Constitution ( March 8) by king Ferdinand VII. January 29 George the Prince Regent becomes king George IV of the. He also undertook an expedition to what is now CanberraFor other meanings see Canberra (disambiguation). Canberra (pronounced CAN-bruh) is Australia's capital city and largest inland city, though only the 7th largest overall in the country. It is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory in 1824Events January 22 Ashantis crush British forces in the Gold Coast Cimetiere du Montparnasse established The Dutch sign the Masang Agreement temporarily ending hostilities in the Padri War March 17 signing of the Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1824. March 11 The Un. He visited New ZealandFor alternative meanings, see New Zealand (disambiguation). New Zealand is a country formed of two major islands and a number of smaller islands in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. A common Mori name for New Zealand is Aotearoa popularly translated as Land in 1826.

In 1827Events February 20 Battle of Huzaingo February 28 The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad is incorporated, becoming the first railroad offering commercial transportation of both people and freight. March 7 Ellen Turner is abducted The Shrigley Abduction case begins Allan Cunningham set out from the upper Hunter RiverThe Hunter River is a major river in New South Wales, Australia. The Hunter River rises in the Liverpool Range and flows generally south and then east, reaching the Pacific Ocean at Newcastle, the second largest city in New South Wales and a major port. to explore inside the Dividing Range, discovering the Darling DownsThe Darling Downs is a farming region on the western slopes of the Great Dividing Range in southern Queensland, Australia. It is in the drainage basin of the Condamine River and its tributaries. The landscape is dominated by rolling hills covered by pastu. Cunningham was to return in 1828 from Brisbane to discover Cunningham's Gap . Cunningham travelled on the right hand side of the Gap whereas the highway today runs on the lefthand side from the small township of Aratula. Spicer's Gap which runs parallel to Cunningham's Gap was used in coaching days. In 1829 he explored the Brisbane River.

Cunningham was born in Wimbledon . He was chosen by Joseph Banks to travel abroad to collect plants for the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. In 1831 he returned to England, but went back to Australia as Government Botanist in 1837, resigning in the following year. His grave is at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Sydney.

The Cunningham Highway is named after this explorer, as is Cunningham's Gap. He named the Darling Downs, the Condamine River, Dumaresq River and the Gwydir River as well the McPherson Range, Mt Cordeaux and Mt Mitchell .