He reached the Neale again, and instituted a survey of the promising pastoral country he had traversed during his last trip, approaching at times to within sight of what he calls in his Journal Lake Torrens, but which in reality was what is now known as Lake Eyre.

All these minor expeditions of Stuart's may be looked upon as preparatory to his great struggle to find an available passage through the unknown fastnesses of the centre of the continent.
It was in 1860 that Stuart made the first of his daring and stubborn attempts to cross Australia from south to north.

The South Australian Government had offered a standing reward of 2,000 pounds for the man who should first succeed in this undertaking.
Stuart's party on his first trip was but a very small one: three men in all, with but thirteen horses.

It reads lilliputian compared with the princely cavalcade that later on set out with Burke to travel over comparatively well-known country, involving only a short excursion through a land without natural difficulties or obstacles; and yet it actually achieved the greatest part of the task set it.
Stuart started from Chambers Creek, but for part of the journey he was of course travelling over country that was fairly well-known by that time.
After passing the Neale, he entered untrodden country, which proved to be good available pastoral land.

Numerous well-watered creeks were passed, which were named respectively the Frew, the Finke, and the Stevenson, and on the 6th of April they reached a hill of a remarkable shape, which had for some time attracted and excited their attention and curiosity.