Members of Austin's party comprised John Hardey, Kenneth Brown, James Tatton Brockman Fraser (artist), Thomas Whitfield, James Guerin, Richard Buck, J. Edwards, W. Cant, Charles Farmer, and J. Woodward; and aboriginals Narryer, Wambinning, Wooddang and Souper.
They intended to reach the coast at Shark Bay, but were driven back by heat, fatigue, lack of water, and the loss of a number of their horses at Poison Rock.
They were eventually forced to return to the coast along the Murchison River, arriving at Port Gregory on 25 November.
[1] The expedition reported large areas of land that were potentially gold-bearing, but nothing suitable for pastoral settlement.
Austin was asked by the Colonial Secretary, William Ayshford Sanford, to make observations and collections of birds.