'Sarah Murgatroyd has brought together for the first time new scientific and historical evidence, and tells in brilliant detail the story of Burke and Wills, the explorers who set out to cross Australia from coast to coast. The Dig Tree describes vividly the remarkable courage, suffering and moments of sheer lunacy, as Burke and Wills struggled to survive in a harsh land they did not understand. Murgatroyd reveals fascinating detail - for example, that Burke had a notoriously bad sense of direction, and was famous for getting lost even on the way home from his local pub! Though we all know the basic story of the Burke and Wills expedition, The Dig Tree reveals just how little most of us know of the individuals, the politics, the blunders and the ambitions behind this extraordinary event in Australia's history.' (Trove record for the 2009 publication.)
