”Leichhardt, his men, their animals and mountains of equipment seem to have vanished without trace.”

John Bailey – Leichhart’s biographer

Who was Ludwig Leichhart?

Leichhart was a German born scientist and explorer who lived in colonial Australia in the 19^th Century. In 1848 he set off from a sheep station in south-east Queensland with seven men, 20 mules, 40 bullocks and seven spare horses to cross Australia from east to west. He was never seen again.  Only one piece of equipment has ever been found and authenticated. A brass plate stamped with ‘Ludwig Leichhardt 1848′ that was originally attached to a rifle butt was found in a tree trunk. Countless expeditions have failed to find any trace of the expedition. It remains one of the most intriguing and unresolved mysteries of early Australian exploration.

Previous blogs published on this website about early Australian explorers in 1860s, Burke and Wills and John McDouall Stuart have examined the issues of leadership and management. However, Leichhardt was an enigma, an outsider and not British. This contrasted to other explorers at the time who were primarily from the British military.

Before his ill-fated final 1848 journey, Leichhart led an expedition in 1845-46 that took over 12 months travelling 4,800 kilometres, from south-east Queensland to Port Essington in the Northern Territory. At the time, the expedition was the longest colonial land exploration journey in Australia. This was a trek of about 3,000 miles through largely uncharted territory. Imagine the grit and determination it took to navigate, survive, and map such a vast and challenging landscape! It was a remarkable feat that greatly contributed to our understanding of Australia’s geography and natural history.

When Leichhart returned to Sydney by boat in 1846, he was awarded The Royal Geographical Society Patron’s Medal and hailed as the ‘Prince of Explorers’. His detailed maps and records, his assessments of good pastoral country, and botanical collections were widely acclaimed at the time. In contrast to other early European explorers, none of his expedition team members on his Port Essington expedition suffered from scurvy. They supplemented their diet with native greens and fruits.

Despite his recognition and success, today Leichhardt is primarily remembered for his mysterious disappearance. Furthermore, his reputation remains tainted. There are many theories. Did he die of thirst in the desert? Was his party massacred by Aboriginals? Were they washed away in a flash flood? Was he killed by mutineering companions, who in turn perished?

There’s nothing like failure, perceived or otherwise, or mystery to ruin a reputation.

Are there any lessons for managers here?

Here are three to consider:

1. Pushing the boundaries. Leichhardt pushed into unknown territories and was prepared to do things differently than other explorers at the time. As a scientist, he challenged the orthodoxy of the time, an approach business managers should consider.
2. The importance of thorough preparation and having a contingency plan. This was certainly the case in his expedition to Port Essington. Living off the land where possible and ensuring his team did not get scurvy.
3. However, his final, ill-fated journey also serves as a cautionary tale. It underscores the need for careful planning and risk management. Venturing into the unknown is essential for growth and discovery, but so is recognising and preparing for potential dangers. The mystery of his disappearance also highlights the importance of communication and contingency planning – knowing when and how to keep stakeholders informed is crucial in any endeavor.

Can you think of other lessons?

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