▁a ▁basic ▁education , ▁Gregory ▁entered ▁the ▁Western ▁Australian ▁public ▁service ▁in ▁ 1 8 4 1 ▁as ▁a ▁cad et ▁survey or . ▁▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 4 6 , ▁Gregory ▁accompanied ▁his ▁older ▁brother ▁August us ▁and ▁expl orer ▁Henry ▁Church man , ▁to ▁investigate ▁the ▁country ▁north ▁of ▁Per th . ▁The ▁following ▁year , ▁Gregory ▁was ▁appointed ▁an ▁assistant ▁government ▁survey or ; ▁two ▁years ▁later ▁he ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁staff ▁survey or ▁in ▁ 1 8 4 9 . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 5 7 ▁he ▁led ▁exped itions ▁to ▁the ▁upper ▁M urch ison ▁River , ▁and ▁to ▁country ▁farther ▁east ▁and ▁north ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 8 . ▁ ▁The ▁next ▁year ▁Gregory ▁visited ▁England , ▁to ▁lo bb y ▁the ▁British ▁government ▁for ▁fund ing ▁towards ▁expl oration ▁of ▁North - West ▁Australia . ▁Gregory ▁believed ▁that ▁the ▁region ▁might ▁support ▁gra zing ▁and / or ▁plant ation ▁agricult ure , ▁based ▁on ▁the ▁use ▁of ▁indent ured ▁labour ▁from ▁Asia . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 6 0 , ▁the ▁Government ▁of ▁Western ▁Australia ▁put ▁Gregory ▁in ▁charge ▁of ▁a ▁proposed ▁expedition ▁to ▁explore ▁the ▁interior ▁around ▁Nick ol ▁Bay . ▁The ▁south western ▁part ▁of ▁this ▁region ▁was ▁later ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁Pil bara . ▁The ▁British ▁government ▁provided ▁£ 2 , 0 0 0 ▁towards ▁exp enses . ▁The ▁expedition ▁left ▁F rem ant le ▁on ▁ 2 3 ▁April ▁ 1 8 6 1 . ▁Four ▁days ▁later