ɪn fˈɛbɹuːˌɛɹi wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti tˈuː ðə kwˈiːnslənd ɡˈʌvɚnmənt ɐpɹˈuːvd ðə pɹəpˈoʊzəl fɚɹən ˌɛkspədˈɪʃən wɪððɪ ˈeɪm ʌv: ˌæsɚtˈeɪnɪŋ, æz fˈɑːɹ nˈɔːɹθ æz ðə fˈoːɹtiːnθ pˈæɹəlˌɛl ʌv lˈæɾɪtˌuːd, ðə kˈæɹɪktɚɹ ʌvðə kˈʌntɹi ænd ɪts mˈɪnɚɹəl ɹᵻsˈoːɹsᵻz, wɪððə vjˈuː tə fjˈuːtʃɚ sˈɛɾəlmənt ænd ˌɑːkjʊpˈeɪʃən.
In February 1872 the Queensland government approved the proposal for an expedition with the aim of: 'ascertaining, as far north as the 14th parallel of latitude, the character of the country and its mineral resources, with the view to future settlement and occupation.'