Place Type
Geography - Mountain,Peak,Hill,Rocks
Location
48.37kms NorthWest of Yulara
96.73kms NorthWest of Kulpitjata
228.13kms SouthEast of Kintore
375.81kms SouthEast of Kiwirrkurra
Address & Contact
Petermann NT 0872
Phone: N/A
Email: N/A
Web: N/A
Information
The Mount Currie Group consists of various size domes or Bornhardt , made of a conglomerate composition similar to the Olgas (Kata Juta). Mount Currie was named by Harry Tietkens on June 30th 1889, during his Central Australian Exploring Expedition . Seen from some 35 miles (55 kilometres) to the north-west, Tietkens made specific note of the thick scrub extending from the base of the Mount. With two sick and weakened camels, he decided any move to visit the area would be too taxing on his stock, deciding discretion was the better part of valour.
Sunday, June 30th—Camp No. 59. It was a bitterly cold night. From this camp a range that I take to be the McNicholl's Range of Giles bears S. 41° W., distant about six miles. At its eastern extremity is a large dome-shaped mass of bare red rock of most singular appearance. It is evidently a hill similar to Mount Olga, and would well repay a visit. The scrubs look to be very thick around its base, but with, two sick camels I think it best to push on to where I know there is good quarters where they may recruit. The dome-shaped rock at the end of McNicholl's Range I have named Mount Currie, after John Lang Currie, Esq., of Victoria.
W.H TIETKENS - Journal of the Central Australian Exploring Expedition, 1889
It would be another thirteen years before Richard Maurice and William Murray became the first Europeans to visit the domes of Mount Currie and explore their surrounds. Having spent a week exploring the mysteries of Ayers Rock and The Olgas, the Maurice party pushed on from Mount Olga on the 7th July 1902, on a northerly bearing towards Lake Amadeus. Early on the following day the party sighted smoke from several aboriginal campfires and, suspecting that this may lead the party to water, altered their course westward to investigate. They reached the domes of Mount Currie later that morning, Murray’s journal revealing their arrival:
Tuesday 8th July 1902 - When reached grassy flats and dense mulga extending to Mount Currie which was reached in 3 miles west. Only about 5 gallons of stagnant water here from a light sprinkle of rain at no distant date and there are no rock-holes in any of the gullies here which would have water for any length of time all being in shadow. The best camping ground we found after unloading was on the south side of hills, there being a flooded flat carrying abundant acacia and currant bush. Mr Tietkens when in these parts did not visit these hills but named Mount Currie and described it as a “domed shaped red rock”. This is not the highest of the group, several others being noticeably higher than the dome. The formation is the same conglomerate as Mount Olga and is from all appearance very barren.
William Murray - Journal of R.T. Maurice Cambridge Gulf Expedition 1902