If the main purpose of this play was to lead up .to the tragic end of the two explorers, then they cettainly took an unconscionable time a-dying.

"[7] The Adelaide Mail said "it seemed to me to be more of a documentary than a straight drama... the play was padded out too much with extraneous incidents which could have been conveyed in a sentence rather than having whole scenes devoted to them.

"[9] Leslie Rees said "Sandford brought a surging, unfettered energy to the visualization of Burke’s fatal faults of impetuosity, impatience, stubbornness and pride, contrasted with the quiet understanding but ineffectuality of Wills as they trod the first route across the continent to Carpentaria.

Several men leave the expedition due to clashes with Burke but he enlists new members including Wright.

Wright is sent back to get more supplies as Burke and Wills lead a small group north, while the rest stay at Coopers Creek under Brahe.

ABC Weekly called it "the tragic story of Burke and Wills’ fatal expedition in search of a route from Victoria to the northern coast of Australia.

The death of Gray, the terrible second arrival at Cooper’s Creek on the very day the base party left to go south, and the tragic end of Burke and Wills are given forceful treatment in a way that emphasises the faults of Burke’s character, together with his iron courage and energy, and the magnitude of the exploring task before him.