The Elder Scientific Expedition: detail from statue of Sir Thomas Elder

Possibly the most ambitious Australian expedition of all time was the Elder Scientific Exploration Expedition. Sir Thomas Elder financed the Expedition which was organised and run by the Royal Geographical Society. Though many earlier expeditions into the interior had collected plant and animal specimens, and in some cases had naturalists in their parties, the rigours and demands of exploring had resulted in only limited scientific success. The Expedition led by David Lindsay, left the railway at Warrina, south of Oodnadatta, on 2 May 1891 on a 6,886 kilometre journey that was to last 12 months. The party was one of the strongest and best equipped expeditions ever sent into inland Australia and consisted of 14 men (three of them scientists) and 44 camels.