The first European to sight this peak was
Matthew Flinders, who sailed past on 7 March 1802 and noted it in his log as 'a bluff inland mountain' and on his chart as a 'bluff mount', alluding to the bluffness of its northern face. It was named Mount Hill on or about 20 April 1840 by Governor
George Gawler when he was exploring this coast northwards on horseback from
Port Lincoln accompanied by explorer and landholder
John Hill and Deputy Surveyor General
Thomas Burr. Their expedition was supported at sea by the brig
Porter and the government cutter . For the purpose of gaining a better view of the unexplored interior of Eyre Peninsula, Gawler and party ascended the peak, at which time it was named after John Hill. The party then proceeded northward past Mount Olinthus (which they also ascended and named) toward the
Middleback Ranges, before returning to Franklin Harbour which Gawler also named and is at present, the site for the town of
Cowell.
Water Witch and
Porter parted there, with
Porter returning to Port Lincoln with Gawler and
Water Witch to Adelaide via Point Riley, near
Wallaroo. On 28 April 1840 near Point Riley Hill and Burr disembarked, the pair returning overland on horseback to Adelaide, thereby being the first Europeans to traverse northern
Yorke Peninsula. The second recorded European exploration party to ascend Mount Hill was that of explorer
Edward John Eyre, on 30 September 1840. A book titled
In the Shadow of the Bluff gives a detailed account of the history of Mount Hill and the Hundred of Butler. ==References==