Non-fiction

Australia’s Worst Shipwrecks – Chris Halls

A difficult thing to define worst shipwreck – most lives lost, largest boat sunk etc etc. Chris Hall however has made a good selection .. with a bit of breadth … historical relevance is the key we believe.

Published by Rigby in 1978. Octavo, 157 pages, illustrated. Fine condition.

Includes the early Dutch ship the Zuytdorp off Western Australia and then a big move geographically and in time to King island, where there have been almost too many shipwreck to count. The tragedy of the Star of Greece and the Quetta in the far north. Ghost ships appear near the end and add a bit of intrigue ..

A good roundup of the most famous wrecks over the ages on the Australian coastline.

$25.00

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The Native Tribes of Tasmania – J.E. Calder

Impossible to get as an original Hobart 1875 edition and this facsimile by Fullers, Hobart produced in 1972 is not in sight on any web engine, online bookshop.

Octavo, 115 pages plus appendix, a true facsimile of the original. Owners bookplate on front paste down.

Full Title explains … Some Account of the War, Extirpation, Habits etc of the Native Tribes of Tasmania. So much about the terrible going on. Limited page numbers belies the extent of the content given the small print copied from the period.

Native Tribes the word from 1875 on the War.

$80.00

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The General (Bruny d’Entrecasteaux) – The Visits of the Expedition led by Bruny d’Entrecasteaux to Tasmanian Waters in 1792 and 1793 – Plomley and Piard- Bernier.

Another special book by Brian Plomley with the help of Josiane Pirad- Bernier. Now very scarce.

Large wide octavo, 378 pages, illustrated. Published by the Launceston Museum in 1993. A solid quality production in near fine condition.

Very well researched and written book on the Bruny d’Entrecasteaux and his visits to Tasmania.

Covers the preparations for the voyage and the officers of the Recherche and Esperance, and among other things their scientific work [Natural History, Geological, Botanical and Zoological].

Also includes as appendices the journals of Louis Ventenat and the botanist Louis Dechamps.

Rare collectable D’Entrecasteaux – more than a channel.

$160.00

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Sketch of the History of Van Diemen’s Land – James Bischoff

Originally published by John Richardson, London, 1832. This is from Australiana Facsimile Editions published in Adelaide in 1967. A scarce edition of this series maybe not as mainstream as some of the others.

First in this form 260 pages including the appendices, large folding coloured map by John Arrowsmith, frontispiece and one other plate, both also by Arrowsmith, of the Van Diemen’s Land Company’s establishments at Circular Head and Emu Bay.

Original faux leather binding, gilt titles to spine, very clean, large folding map in super condition. The map is far far too big to scan on our A3 scanner so we have just done a bit of unfolded bit so you can see the quality.

An important book which Bischoff intended for distribution to the Van Diemen’s Land Company shareholders and to encourage potential investors. In it he reprints several of the Company’s yearly reports, including the important third report of 1828, and in full the exploration journals of Alexander Goldie, Henry Hellyer and Joseph Fossey, which were included in an appendix to the third report. An important appendix includes Lt-Governor Arthur’s dispatches on the Aborigines and their growing resistance to the European settlement

Good facsimile of Bischoff’s important early work on Van Diemen’s Land

$90.00

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The Todd Journal – Andrew alias William Todd – John Batman’s Recorder and his Indented Head Journal 1835

Effectively self published by Peter Alsop [who drew the maps] and Philip Brown who edited the then unpublished journals through the Geelong Historical Society. We are not sure how many publication the Geelong Historical Society sponsored but they di a good job here.

Large squarish octavo, 199 pages, illustrated including from sketches by Wedge, end paper maps by Alsop. A nice production in fine condition.

Todd’s journal covers five months in 1835 with misunderstood Bateman and his surveyor friend Helder Wedge in there travels around the Geelong region south east of Melbourne. Including the location “Indented Head” if you were curious of the title. Much about the local aboriginal groups and individuals.

Andrew (or William) Todd and his acute observations of realty.

$40.00

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Lachlan Macquarie – Governor of New South Wales – Journals of his Tours in New South Wales and Van Diemen’s Land 1810-1822

A special and substantial book about the activities of this energetic and decisive Governor. Without his tour of Van Diemen’s Land the north of Tasmania would have ended in ruins.

Published by the Library of Australian History in 1979. Large octavo, 280 pages. Tipped in colour portrait of the great man and 10 other tipped in colour plates. Three large folding maps and facsimile page. A sumptuous production in very good condition.

Printed from the original manuscripts held in the Mitchell Library. Illustrations from the Mitchell collection and the Dixon Library.

Macquarie a leader ahead of hid time – so much accomplished.

$60.00

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Australia’s Worst Shipwrecks – Chris Halls

The Native Tribes of Tasmania – J.E. Calder

The General (Bruny d’Entrecasteaux) – The Visits of the Expedition led by Bruny d’Entrecasteaux to Tasmanian Waters in 1792 and 1793 – Plomley and Piard- Bernier.

Sketch of the History of Van Diemen’s Land – James Bischoff

The Todd Journal – Andrew alias William Todd – John Batman’s Recorder and his Indented Head Journal 1835

Lachlan Macquarie – Governor of New South Wales – Journals of his Tours in New South Wales and Van Diemen’s Land 1810-1822

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