William (Billy) Lakeland
After Sydney-born William ("Billy") Lakeland (1847-1921) moved to North Queensland in the early 1870s, he became one of Cape York's most active prospectors, explorers and business operators.
Lakeland prospected on the Palmer River with Christie Palmerston in 1873 and helped Palmerston blaze a trail from the Hodgkinson goldfield to Port Douglas three years later.
On ten major prospecting expeditions before 1892, Lakeland found gold on the Batavia River and wolfram on the Pascoe River, and discovered the Coen goldfield and the Claudie River, which he named after his daughter. He also took up grazing land on the Cape, dabbled in butchery on the goldfields, owned a hotel in Cooktown and was a partner in the town's first brewery.
Lakeland's prospecting activities continued well into the twentieth century, and he died on his way back to Coen from Iron Range. Mustering stockmen found his remains the following January.
Sources:
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Lakeland
Queensland Places - Cape York - William Lakeland: https://www.slq.qld.gov.au/blog/queensland-places-cape-york-william-lakeland
