Beyond exploration: illustrating the botanical legacy of the German/Australian explorer Friedrich Wilhelm Ludwig Leichhardt based on his written observations, letters and herbarium specimens 1842-1844

Ludwig Leichhardt is synonymous with Australian exploration, yet his achievements extend well beyond the success of his overland expeditions. Beyond exploration, Leichhardt was a passionate observer of Australian natural history, who left a significant legacy of collected and written material, especially in the field of botany. The recent translations of his diaries recorded between 1842 and 1844 have exposed a lesser known period of Leichhardt’s life and helped to evidence him as a capable and diligent scientist. The published materials combined with Leichhardt’s collected plant specimens establish the foundation for my research and have subsequently informed my outcomes. From my research I have painted a series of botanical illustrations depicting specimens that were observed, recorded and collected by Leichhardt more than 170 years ago. The documentation of this research and creative methodology from field observations through to the final illustrations visually depicts Leichhardt’s historical contribution to Australian botanical science while providing information on creative process to botanical illustrators.