Queensland

Triumph in the Tropics (Queensland) – Cilento and Lack – 1959

This substantial book was produced for the Centenary Celebrations of Queensland published 1959 effectively by the Historical Committee of the State Government. It is free from government style and influence and jam packed with facts in a naturally chronological order.

Thick octavo, 446 pages plus index. Illustrated throughout, including charts, coloured frontispiece of the Cooktown Orchid (quite beautiful but we find a slightly strange choice). Facsimile signatures on endpapers and a pretty good example of the decorative period dust jacket. Very clean.

Starts with very early explorers (the reference to first nation people comes later) .. Cook, Flinders, Oxley, Convict establishments, foray into the interior, self Government. Then the development of the “Modern Queensland” … pastoral, maritime and mining (more about Mount Morgan).

It is the depth of information that impresses us most about this book, whilst the content concerning aboriginal people would not meet today’s standards, it is hard to find a book anywhere that addresses progress in Queensland better than this account. Not surprising given the authors [note their humble reference to mere editors] Cilento and Lack.

A Triumph it is … Queensland!

$50.00

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Scents of Flying – Maki Horanai and Hillel Weintraub

Self published hand made by Mountain Dreams Press in 2010. A special beautiful book displaying the highly original artwork of Maki Horanai.

Unpaginated but 28 pages of thick handmade paper so lovely you could eat it. Fourteen images by Horanai, alternating full page and double page. Signed boldly on the front pastedown by the artist and the wordsmith Hillel Weintrub. The image of the title, an element of “Homage” is repeated pasted to the front boards. Boards covered in rich handmade paper.

As you can tell … we love it.

Wish and you could be a “Sky Carpet Traveller”

$70.00

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Some Mines and Mineral Deposits at the Heads of the Brisbane, Burnett and Mary Rivers – Jackson 1901

Queensland Department of Mines Report to both Houses of Parliament published in Brisbane in 1901, first year of Federation. At that time Dunstan was Assistant Government Geologist. The Report is presented by William Rands, Government Geologist.

Foolscap, 19 pages plus 5 full page plates. Chipped and repaired to leading edge of front page, otherwise in good condition.

Covers silver-lead deposits at Monsildale; the Rising Star, North Star and Great Pyramid Prospects at Biarra; Gold found near Milford Rocks Head Station; Gympie Copper Mines at Gooroomjam Creek; Nanango Gold Field; Jimma and a Cobalt Deposit at the Black Snake District.

A few diagrams within the text and a good image from an early photograph of the entrance to the Cobalt prospect [Certainly one worth following up!]. The Plates include a god Geological sketch of the Monsildale Silver Deposit; a Plan of the Rising Star Workings; Section of Workings at Gympie Copper; the Jimna Prospecting Tunnel [looks dangerous] and the Secrets of the aforementioned Cobalt.

A rare one and focusing on some quite boutique mining prospects of the period in the South-East of Queensland.

$90.00

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The Opium Smugglers – Ion Idriess – First edition 1948

Idriess back in Cook’s Passage and the Lizard Island. A tale written for boys and now grown up boys. Somewhat of a rarity.

A first edition published by Angus and Robertson, Sydney in 1948. Without the jacket, octavo, 273 pages, original tanned cloth covered boards with shell design to front. End paper maps, ownership signature on front ends. A pretty good copy.

The Lizard and opium

$35.00

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Discovery – Stories of Modern Mineral Exploration – Alan Trengove

A fine copy of the first edition published by Stockwell Press in 1979.

Octavo, 278 pages, illustrated from photographs and numerous maps of mineral areas.

Starts with the “Forgotten Frontier” … Cape York and the Weipa area. Then the Bowen expanses, Pilbara before the arrival of the super mines, Gold and the advent of the offshore drilling ships. Closes with an appendix “A History of Resources of Metallic Ores” by King. Well its all a history really.

What is now a super background to the history of mineral exploration in Australia.

$30.00

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Cruising the Coral Sea – Alan Lucas

This is the third edition nicely updated with aerial images and some extra anchorages. A really super book about the tropical coast of Queensland and the Ocean and Islands. The kind of book that is probably difficult to continue to produce spoilt by the accessibility of the internet. But nowhere is so much useful and interesting information presented in an orderly and balanced fashion.

Published by Horwitz in 1976, large octavo, 336 pages with a multitude of maps, sketches, the aforesaid photographic images etc.

After a useful introduction we have a description of the reefs , the islands past present and notes on conservation. Then a handy chapter on catching and cooking your own food .. and the number of poisonous creatures encountered. Safety in the waster … not just sharks but the stingers even the small ones that can kill. Then into the detail of the approaches and anchorages and what a good anchorage looks like …

A special book on Queensland and only dated where it is interesting …

$30.00

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Triumph in the Tropics (Queensland) – Cilento and Lack – 1959

Scents of Flying – Maki Horanai and Hillel Weintraub

Some Mines and Mineral Deposits at the Heads of the Brisbane, Burnett and Mary Rivers – Jackson 1901

The Opium Smugglers – Ion Idriess – First edition 1948

Discovery – Stories of Modern Mineral Exploration – Alan Trengove

Cruising the Coral Sea – Alan Lucas

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