Video: How the Gibson Desert was Named

The "Fair Maid of Perth", the horse that accompanied Alfred Gibson to his death is not named after Western Australia's capital Perth, as is sometimes thought but the town in Scotland.

It comes from a novel set in the 14th Century by Sir Walter Scott, titled St. Valentine's Day; or, The Fair Maid of Perth. It was set in Perth and other parts of Scotland. It was first published on 15 May 1828. Link about it Here.

"La jolie fille de Perth" or the "Fair Maid of Perth" is an opera based on the Scott novel and is written by Georges Bizet who died in 1875. It was first performed in Manchester in 1912 and I admit I did listen to it a few times in 2008 (when I was travelling).

Explorer Ernest Giles says of the horse, "Her proper name was the Fair Maid of Perth; but somehow, from her lively, troublesome, and wanton vagaries, they called her the Sow-Cow."

This horse however, so inspired me with its stamina, reliability and toughness, that I decided in 2007 to Christen the Ute after her which I did in June 2008.


This video was taken whilst driving along the Hunt Oil Road in Western Australia on Wednesday 2 July 2008.

Click Image to Enlarge

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