A Romance of Burke and Wills Expedition of 1860
A Romance of Burke and Wills Expedition of 1860 is a 1918 Australian silent film. The plot is fictional and is loosely based around the Burke and Wills expedition. Plot. Robert O'Hara Burke leads an expedition from Melbourne to the north of Australia, including William John Wills, John King, Gray, Dandells and Brahe. Although he reaches the Gulf of Carpentaria along with Wills and King when they return to their base at Cooper Creek they discover their comrades have left without them. Burke and Wills both die but King is rescued  by aborigines and survives. A fictitious romance was added to the story. Chapter headings included: Production. The film was completed in November 1917 and originally ran for three reels. Director Charles Coates then spent another month in central Australia shooting additional footage. Filming took over 12 months all up and involved more than 300 people. Reportedly shooting some scenes involved a risk to the cinematographer's life. The cast included Madam Carbasse, the French mother of Louise Lovely. Release. The movie was previewed to the trade in May 1918 and submitted for censorship in June 1918. A Romance of Burke