150th Anniversary of the Burke and Wills Expedition
By CAA | Monday, 5 May 2025
To commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Burke and Wills expedition, the Royal Australian Mint unveiled new coin designs alongside an exclusive Burke and Wills display at the State Library of Victoria in Melbourne.
Modern day explorer Jesse Martin together with Assistant Treasurer Senator Nick Sherry revealed the new coin designs in Melbourne.
Jesse Martin, previous record holder for the youngest person to sail solo around the world non-stop and unassisted, was able to, after looking through the Burke and Wills collection, empathise with taking on such a major expedition, the hardships that came with it and the sense of achievement at the end.
Doing anything unknown is hard work, especially knowing people are expecting something of you. Though Burke and Wills fell on hard times, perhaps their greatest achievement has been to inspire others through their spirit of exploration and in the end we all benefit from the discoveries of people who go before us.
- Jesse Martin
Mr Martin and guests were able to pore over the historically significant Burke and Wills collection items and see the story pan out right before their eyes.
The designs on the 20 cent and $1 coin highlight the beginning and end of the Burke and Wills expedition.
The 2010 Burke and Wills coins were designed by world class sculptor Wojciech Pietranik and packaging designed by Sabina Foster.
By bringing together some of the most fascinating items in the collection, we map out the story of the expedition which also shows where our coin and packaging designers got their inspiration from.
- Graham Smith, Royal Australian Mint Acting Chief Executive Officer
Robert O’Hara Burke, William John Wills, John King and Charles Gray became the first Europeans to cross Australia south to north when they reached the Gulf of Carpentaria in February 1861.
The expedition, one of the most expensive in Australian history, was led by Robert O’Hara Burke, an Irishman with no exploration experience or skills in surveying or navigation. It was lavishly equipped with items including 50 gallons of rum to revive tired camels (there were 27 of them), and an oak table.
The expedition’s departure from Royal Park, Melbourne on 20 August 1860 was a public spectacle watched by about 15,000 people.
Burke and Wills died within a few days of each other at the end of June 1861.
20 cents 2010
Specifications
- Composition: Cupro nickel (75% copper and 25% nickel)
- Diameter: 28.52 mm
- Weight: 11.31 g
- Obverse: Ian Rank Broadley
20 cents 2010 price guide and values
1 dollar 2010
Specifications
- Composition: Aluminium bronze (92% copper, 6% aluminium and 2% nickel)
- Diameter: 25 mm
- Weight: 9 g
- Obverse: Ian Rank Broadley
1 dollar 2010 price guide and values
