William Charles Wentworth (1793 - 1872) is most associated with the first expedition to cross the Blue Mountains, lead by Gregory Blaxland. The discovery of a passage through the mountains opened up the vast Australian continent to exploration and settlement.
William Wentworth, a true Australian, was born in New South Wales in 1793. Educated in England he returned to New South Wales in 1810 and was granted land. He returned to England again to study law.
Wentworth was a major figure in New South Wales during the 19th Century.
He founded the University of Sydney in 1852
He founded the newspaper The Australian with Robert Wardell. This paper still exists today as part of Rupert Murdoch's vast News Corporation
He was an early supporter of representative government for New South Wales.