Gilberts Lookout, Taroom

This pleasant lookout is located less than a kilometre from the town of Taroom. Enjoy a picnic lunch in an undercover area overlooking the Dawson River, the town of Taroom and the surrounding countryside.

Gilbert’s lookout was built in honour of the late John Gilbert (1812-1845 – just 33 years old!). Gilbert’s profession was an Ornithologist (the study of birds) and contributed extensively to the work of John Gould who has written the infamous ‘bird bible’ of Australia, ‘The Birds Of Australia’.

As a member of Ludwig Leichhardt’s first overland expedition in 1844 to Port Essington, Gilbert was reportedly speared to death on the 29th June 1945. The Australian Museum details Gould’s final diary entry:

Gilbert’s Diary 28th June 1845. This is Gilbert’s last entry before he was killed, “[the aborigines] appear to have been engaged in cooking their food and pieces of bark or boughs showing that it has been a regular camping ground, but what the ring is for would be very interesting to know, perhaps in some way connected with their superstitions.”