Glovers Dream

In January 1833 three men set out to explore the Ben Lomond plateau; John Batman, the leader and his friends John Helder Wedge, the surveyor and the artist John Glover.
Glover born with club feet rode everywhere on horseback. They were assisted by three convicts and three natives from NSW.

They followed the Ben Lomond Rivulet across the plains and up onto the plateau north of Stacks Bluff. The alpine flowers pictured were in full bloom. The three farmers viewed the acres of golden Richea, beautiful but very prickly and discussed its possible use for fencing.

Glover rode across to sketch a small lake, the source of the Nile River. Wedge named it ‘Lake Glover’, but the name has now been changed.
After two nights on the mountain John Glover and five of the men left the camp. Glover was keen to draw the dolerite cliffs as he rode down. The remaining men explored the Nile River across the plateau then descended to the plains.

How many times in later years did John Glover return to Ben Lomond in his dreams?

With the threat of climate change how many of these endemic plants could become extinct?”

Stephanie Dean

2020

Gouache on Paper