William Wills Monument, Totnes, Devon

William John Wills, surveyor and second-in-command for the Burke and Wills expedition, was born in the small village of Totnes, in Devon. Totnes sits on the Dart River which flows down to Dartmouth. It was from here that Wills sailed to Australia in 1853 with his brother Thomas. He was just eighteen years of age, his brother fifteen.

Later that year both brothers found work as shepherds near Deniliquin, before their father,  Dr John Wills, arrived in Melbourne.

William worked on various properties before studying surveying near Ballarat.  He moved to Melbourne in 1858, and in 1860 joined the expedition led by Robert O'Hara Burke.

After his tragic death at just 26 years the people of Totnes constructed a memorial obelisk not far from the river, and close to the place where he was born.

A short distance up Fore Street from the monument, on the left, is the Totnes Museum, housed in an old merchant's shop, and, up a flight or two of old wooden stairs is an area dedicated to the history of the Burke and Wills expedition. 

Its well worth a visit.