John King (explorer)
John King | |
|---|---|
John King, circa 1861 | |
| Born | 5 December 1838 Moy, County Tyrone, Ireland |
| Died | 15 January 1872 (aged 33) St Kilda, Victoria, Australia |
| Burial place | Melbourne General Cemetery |
| Nationality | Irish |
| Alma mater | Royal Hibernian Military School |
| Occupation(s) | Soldier, camel handler, explorer |
| Known for | Survivor of the Burke and Wills expedition and first European to cross Australia from north to south |
John King (15 December 1838 – 15 January 1872) was an Irish-born British soldier who achieved fame as an Australian explorer. He was the sole survivor of the four men from the ill-fated Burke and Wills expedition who reached the Gulf of Carpentaria. The expedition was the first to cross Australia from south to north, finding a route across the continent from Melbourne in Victoria to the Gulf of Carpentaria in Queensland.