He is best known for his expedition from Adelaide to Western Australia in 1840–41, during which he endured great hardships and lost many of his men.
Eyre was born in Yorkshire, England, in 1815. He emigrated to Australia in 1833 and worked as a stockman and overseer. In 1840, he was appointed by the South Australian government to lead an expedition to explore the interior of the continent.
Eyre's expedition set out from Adelaide in June 1840. The party consisted of Eyre, six other Europeans, and two Aboriginal guides. They traveled north and then west, covering a distance of over 2,000 miles.
The expedition endured great hardships. The men were constantly short of food and water, and they were often attacked by Aboriginal people. In addition, Eyre had to deal with the difficult personalities of some of his men.
Despite these challenges, Eyre's expedition was a success. He reached Western Australia in April 1841, becoming the first European to cross the continent from south to west.
Eyre returned to England in 1843 and published a book about his expedition, titled "Journals of Expeditions of Discovery into Central Australia". The book was a bestseller and made Eyre a famous explorer.
Eyre later served as the governor of Jamaica (1862–65) and New Zealand (1868–73). He died in London in 1901.