Captain William Hovell is best-known as one of the earliest explorers of the Australian mainland, although this work depicts him in his later occupation, as a pastoralist. Hovell made short exploratory journeys in the country surrounding the Cumberland Plain and in 1823 explored the Burragorang Valley in the Wollondilly region. The valley, known for its natural beauty was flooded to create Lake Burragorang, as part of the Warragamba Dam development completed in 1960.

In 1824 Hovell and Hamilton Hume set out from Hume’s property near Gunning, on an overland expedition to Westernport. On 16 December they sighted Corio Bay, in Port Phillip, which they believed to be Westernport. Their journey opened the way for the settlement of Port Phillip.