e ▁River ▁of ▁a ▁well - tra vel led ▁stock - route ▁( known ▁as ▁" the ▁Great ▁North ▁Road ") ▁leading ▁to ▁the ▁mark ets ▁of ▁Victoria .   ▁In ▁ 1 8 5 6 - 7 ▁Captain ▁Francis ▁Cad ell , ▁pione er ▁of ▁steam - navigation ▁on ▁the ▁Murray ▁River , ▁placed ▁a ▁manager ▁at ▁Lang ' s ▁Cross ing - place ▁with ▁the ▁task ▁of ▁establish ing ▁a ▁store ▁( initial ly ▁in ▁a ▁tent ).   ▁ ▁In ▁December ▁ 1 8 5 7 ▁Thomas ▁Sim pson ▁re - located ▁from ▁Den ili quin ▁to ▁establish ▁a ▁black sm ith ▁shop ▁and ▁residence ▁at ▁Lang ' s ▁Cross ing - place .   ▁ ▁Six ▁months ▁later ▁the ▁Canadian ▁ship w right ▁Henry ▁Leonard ▁arrived ; ▁he ▁comm enced ▁building ▁a ▁hotel ▁and ▁dwell ing - house ▁near ▁Sim pson ' s ▁buildings ▁and ▁launched ▁a ▁punt ▁on ▁the ▁river .   ▁ ▁In ▁August ▁ 1 8 5 8 ▁steam ers ▁owned ▁by ▁rival ▁own ers , ▁Francis ▁Cad ell ▁and ▁William ▁Rand ell , ▁successfully ▁travel led ▁up ▁the ▁M urr umb idge e ▁as ▁far ▁as ▁Lang ' s ▁Cross ing - place ▁( with ▁Cad ell ' s ▁ste amer ▁Al bury ▁continu ing ▁up - river ▁to ▁G und ag ai ). ▁ ▁Henry ▁Jeff ries , ▁the ▁le ase holder ▁of ▁" Ill il awa " ▁station ▁( which ▁included ▁Lang ' s ▁Cross ing - place ▁at ▁its ▁western ▁extrem ity