Then striking to the south of east, he cut his former track of 1873 at the Alfred and Marie Range, the range he had so ardently striven to reach when the unfortunate man Gibson died.

How futile was the vain attempt that led to Gibson's death he now realised.

He finally arrived at the Peake telegraph station.

Few watercourses were crossed; the country was suffering under extreme drought; and no discoveries of importance were made.
Giles published a narrative of his explorations entitled Australia Twice Traversed.

He was a gold medallist of the Royal Geographical Society.