Possum skin cloaks are highly valued by the first settlers in the Hunter Valley and are collected where they are made by Aboriginal people. One is collected by American artist Horatio Hale of the US Exploration Expedition, during his meeting with Rev Threlkeld and Biraban at Lake Macquarie. In 1858, leader of the expedition, Lt Charles Wilkes donates this cloak to the Smithsonian Institute in Washington.