Mr Cunningham visits the Liverpool River, then sails onward to Port Warrender
4th August 1819
On this day, 4th August 1819, Allan Cunningham visits Liverpool River and then sails onward to Port Warrender between 4th August to 13th October 1819 while accompanying Phillip Parker King on his second circumnavigation to survey coastal Australia onboard HMS Mermaid.
Robert Heward wrote:
after failing to find an anchorage among the islands in Torres Straits, they stood across the Gulf of Carpentaria. The first place at which they landed on the north coast was, on the banks of a river called by Captain King, Liverpool River. On the 8th of August, they anchored at the last year’s anchorage, at Goulburn Islands, where Captain King remained ten days to complete the supply of wood and water. Mr Cunningham was unable to make a second collection this year, from the continued hostility of the natives, and also from a severe attack of jaundice, brought on by the fatiguing examination of Liverpool River. 1
ROBERT HEWARD’S BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF ALLAN CUNNINGHAM, PAGE 251