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Alfred Giles (18 February 1846 – 20 March 1931), born in Datchet, England, was a South Australian bushman, drover and explorer who crossed Australia from south to north seven times, most in connection with the building of the Overland Telegraph Line 1870–1872. ==History== Giles was a son of Christopher Giles (ca.1798 – 26 April 1884) a member of the Corn Exchange, London, and his wife Hannah Giles (ca.1814 – 17 February 1900). He came to Australia with his parents, three brothers and two sisters, leaving London on 21 January 1849 on the ''Calcutta'', arriving in South Australia on 22 June 1849. They were accompanied by a large quantity of merchandise and other property, including a portable cottage, which they erected at his 400-acre property on the River Wakefield. In 1853 his father took up a lease of land at Ketchowla Station which is located between Terowie and Morgan. Giles and his family were later joined by Hillary Boucaut in 1861. In 1864, after a series of poor seasons and considerable losses, he sold his interest and retired to the city.〔 Alfred Giles was educated at J. L. Young's Adelaide Educational Institution, and after leaving school joined the party which John Ross had organised to traverse the country in 1870, planning the route for Charles Todd's Overland Telegraph Line, Giles being placed second in command. The party was the second to cross the unexplored interior of Central Australia, 300 miles to the east of John McDouall Stuart's 1862 route. Others involved with him in this project were George Chalmers of Daly Waters, and Jack Cleland of Port Adelaide,〔 a hero of the tragedy in 1875. In 1871 Giles was the first to cross Leichhardt's Bar on the Roper River, after the famous explorer crossed it in 1845. In 1873, 5,000 sheep were overlanded from Adelaide by Alfred Giles for distribution to Telegraph Stations along the Line, such as Barrow Creek. With his brother Arthur John Giles, he helped develop properties for pastoralist Dr. W. J. Browne. Among these were Newcastle Waters Station, Springvale and Delamere. Cattle, horses and sheep were brought into the Territory at different times for the purpose of stocking these properties. Giles married Mary Sprigg at Naracoorte in 1880. They managed Dr. Browne's Spring Vale Station at the Katherine River, 7 miles from Katherine in the early 1890s, and they afterwards owned the Bonrook Station on the Stuck-Up Waterhole, South of Pine Creek. About eight miles from Spring Vale he discovered a series of large caves, which he named the Kintore Caves, containing beautiful stalactites and stalagmites. He told how he once took Thomas Playford, a Premier of South Australia, through the caves. The politician, who was remarkable for his huge bulk, got stuck tight between two stalactites, and one pillar had to be cut down before he was released.〔 Early in 1882 he established Delamere Station on the Flora River, and grew cotton. Giles lived in the Territory for nearly half a century, and died at his home at Marlborough Street, College Park or St. Peters. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Alfred Giles (explorer)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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