William Mills (surveyor)

Goyder's Expedition

Mills was a surveyor on George Goyder's mission to survey a northern capital Palmerston, later renamed Darwin. He arrived on the Moonta on 5 February 1869 leaving just short of a year later, the team having surveyed more than 2700 square kilometres of land.

Surveying the Overland Telegraph Line

On 5 September 1870, he joined Charles Todd's party to build the central section of the Overland Telegraph Line. On 7 March 1871, Mills and his companion Gilbert McMinn, having found a gap in the McDonnell Ranges through which to feed the telegraph line, and which he named Heavitree Gap, then came across a string of waterholes along what is now called the Todd River, which were already frequented by local Arrernte people. Mills named one Alice Spring, after the wife of Charles Todd, from which the town of Alice Springs now takes its name.

Later life

Mills married Mary Jane Mullen on 24 March 1879. They had two daughters Alice Thornton and Ethel May.

After completion of the telegraph line, Mills returned to the Northern Territory to work in mining and undertake further surveying. In the early 1880s, he managed a camel transport company carrying freight from Farina to Peake and Charlotte Waters. He delivered 30 camels from Beltana Station to Northampton in Western Australia for Sir Thomas Elder. He went across the centre of Australia on the Canning Stock Route before heading to Northampton. They went for long periods without water but after 25 weeks, completed the journey.

Mary Jane died on 1 October 1888 at just 30 years of age. The Mills children were then brought up by extended family, while Mills spent time in Broken Hill before eventually moving to Western Australia.

Mills died on 18 August 1916 at the age of 72. He is buried in the Widgiemooltha Cemetery in Western Australia.

Mills Street in East Side in Alice Springs is named after Mills.