, ▁at ▁Champion ▁Bay ▁( l ater ▁Ger ald ton ), ▁Gregory ▁was ▁joined ▁by ▁three ▁volunte ers , ▁making ▁a ▁party ▁of ▁nine . ▁They ▁completed ▁the ▁landing ▁of ▁the ▁horses ▁near ▁the ▁Hard ing ▁River ▁on ▁ 2 4 ▁May , ▁and ▁started ▁in land ▁the ▁following ▁day . ▁▁ ▁After ▁reaching ▁the ▁Fort esc ue ▁River , ▁the ▁expedition ▁followed ▁it ▁for ▁several ▁days , ▁before ▁turning ▁to ▁the ▁south - west ▁and ▁following ▁the ▁Har de y ▁River . ▁On ▁ 2 5 ▁June , ▁having ▁reached ▁latitude ▁ 2 3 ° ▁ 5 6 ' ▁south , ▁they ▁sought ▁to ▁re trace ▁their ▁steps ▁and ▁reached ▁their ▁landing ▁place ▁on ▁the ▁coast ▁on ▁ 1 9 ▁July . ▁On ▁ 2 9 ▁July , ▁they ▁comm enced ▁a ▁second ▁for ay , ▁north ▁and ▁east ▁of ▁the ▁previous ▁track . ▁▁ ▁Gregory ▁returned ▁with ▁his ▁party ▁on ▁ 1 7 ▁October ▁and ▁the ▁expedition ▁returned ▁to ▁Per th , ▁which ▁it ▁reached ▁on ▁ 9 ▁November ▁ 1 8 6 1 . ▁Gregory ▁reported ▁that ▁he ▁had ▁seen ▁between ▁two ▁and ▁three ▁million ▁acres ▁( 1 . 2 ▁million ▁hect ares ) ▁of ▁land ▁suitable ▁for ▁gra zing . ▁He ▁also ▁drew ▁attention ▁to ▁the ▁possibility ▁of ▁a ▁p ear ling ▁industry ▁being ▁established . ▁As ▁a ▁result ▁of ▁the ▁expedition ▁to ▁Nick ol ▁Bay , ▁Gregory ▁was ▁awarded ▁the ▁Gold ▁Medal ▁of ▁the ▁Royal ▁Ge ographical ▁Society ▁( 1 8 6 3 ). ▁ ▁In ▁ 1