Fremantle Stuff > people > Ensign Robert Dale (1810-1853)

Robert Dale

Arrowsmith:
Robert Dale was born in Winchester, England. He arrived as an Ensign in Western Australia on HMS Sulphur in June 1829 with a detachment of troops of the 63rd Regiment under the command of Captain Frederick Chidley Irwin. He explored the Canning and Helena Rivers and he led the first expedition to the Darling Ranges. A tributary of the Avon River, Western Australia is named in his honour. He explored the Stirling Ranges with Raphael Clint in December 1831. He retired to England in October 1833 and became a timber merchant in Liverpool.
PUBLISHED RESOURCES
Edited Books
Shoobert, Joanne (ed.), Western Australian Exploration, vol. 1, Hesperian Press, Perth, 2005, p.580. Details
Journal Articles
Cook, Karen Severud, 'The secret agenda of Western Australian explorer Robert Dale', The Globe, no. 54, 2003, pp. 23-24.

Dale's cottage (rear) in the photo taken by Alfred Stone, from the collection in SLWA @ dalecottage-stone2slwa_b4170451_1 (1).

Pelloe:
On September 6, 1831, the first settlers of the Eastern Districts set out over the hills from Guildford. Ensign Robert Dale, accompanied by Mr. Brockman, had already explored the country and spoken glowingly of it. The expedition comprised about 20 persons. No complete list remains in existence. A great crowd of spectators assembled to wave farewells to the adventurous band. The travellers were escorted on the first day's stage by the Governor, Sir James Stirling. Ensign Dale was in charge of the expedition. (Pelloe 1929: 1)

References and Links

Arrowsmith's Australian Maps - from which comes much of the above.

Oldman, Diane 2022, 'York: somewhere over the ranges', Redcoat Settlers in WA (website).

Pelloe, Mrs T. 1929, 'The York Road', Early Days, vol. 1, part 6: 1-16.

Garry Gillard | New: 11 April, 2021 | Now: 19 February, 2023