Australiana

Colonel William Light – Founder of a City (Adelaide) – Dutton and Elder.

A very good book about the industrious and complex character that was William Light who did much to create the City of Adelaide, South Australia.

Published by Melbourne University in 1991. This is the second issue of the work, significantly updated with new content. Octavo, 313 pages, illustrated. A very good if not better copy.

Light switched on Adelaide.

$25.00

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Islands of South-West Tasmania – Gary White

A very helpful book by the thorough Gary White. Not much else is written about the islands of the South West of Tasmania and this fills the gap.

Published by the author in 1980. Softcover, 63 pages and more content than the pages suggest. Some images from photographs .. the islands from a distance quite worthwhile.

In case you are unfamiliar covers .. De Witt island; Maatsuyker .. where you can still put your hand up to be Lighthouse Keeper; Flat (Mutton Bird) Island; Louisa; Fiat Witch and other lesser ones as a group.

South of Tasmania there are some cold islands but they are special.

$30.00

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The Henty Journals – A Record of Farming, Whaling and Shipping in Portland Bay, 1834-1839. – Lynnette Peel

A super copy of this first edition well produced book published by The Miegunyah Press in 1966.

Large octavo, 297 pages, nicely illustrated. A fine copy and as always with the Miegunyah Press nothing spared, printed on Pageantry Text Creme paper, limited to a thousand copies.

The Henty family left Sussex in England in the 1820’s to make their life in Australia. With farms first in Western Australia and Tasmania they settled at Portland Bay in Victoria. Edward Henty is recognised as the first permanent settler in Victoria. Diaries written by Edward and his brother Francis are a prized possession of the State Library of Victoria. They form the basis of this book. Brother Thomas settled at Launceston in Tasmania and bred Marino sheep often selling to the Macarthurs of Camden. Not restricting their activities to the land they undertook maritime and whaling adventures and sadly had a hand in reducing the population of the Southern Right Whale.

The Diaries of the brothers Henty – a genuine glimpse into life in the early 19thC.

$80.00

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The Founding of Hobart 1803-1804 – Frank Bolt

The author of this fine book, Frank Bolt, was surprised that he could not find any book on the very early period of the settlement of Hobart. So he carried out his own research and effectively self published this work.

Large octavo, 320 pages, illustrated, with folding plan, printed to a high standard. A first edition 2004 and in as new condition.

An unusual work in structure … Bolt explain his approach well in the lengthy Preface. Having assembled all of the exiting evidence his challenge was how to present it … landing on the idea of creating a faux diary of events on a nearly day by day basis. It work very well. After a further introductory “Prologue” the diary runs from page 38 through to page 279. Within this there are separate brief “cut-aways” regarding the “difference between the initial Risdon Settlement and the final Settlement at Sullivan’s Cove and “the Cargo of the Collin’s Expedition”.

Notes on Sources are kept until the end and are extensive and useful as well is a list of the Pioneers of Hobart Town. And Meehan’s Plan of circa 1811.

Hobart the early days revisited

$60.00

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Ross Bridge Tasmania – Studies in Historical Archaeology – Maureen Byrne

Maureen Byrne was a professional archaeologist which makes this “local history” rather more honed and full of well researched fact.

Anyone who loves Tasmania either as a local or a visitor cannot help fall in love with the town of Ross and its magnificent convict built bridge.

Published in 1969 by the Australian Society of Historical Archaeology in conjunction with the Ross Council and its then appointed Bridge Restoration Committee .. now there’s a worthwhile cause.

Squarish perfect bound card covered, 51 pages with folding plans at rear. Extensively illustrated from photographs taken by the author. A very good copy.

The bridge was to undergo restoration with the removal of badly laid thick tarmacadam … this was the chance to call in the expert Byrne. A special record was made … the best part being something that could have received better treatment earlier .. 186 carvings, 31 over the top of each arch. Among the carvings along with those involved in the creation of the bridge we have … Jorgen Jorgensen the Danish adventurer then part of life in Van Diemens Land; Governor George Arthur resplendent in his top hat; John Headlam a hated school master in his mortar board; William Kermode a local grazier .. along with horned goods and wild beasts.

Comparison with Italian bridge architecture add interest.

The Ross Bridge rivals European Bridge Architecture with its numerous carvings.

$50.00

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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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Colonel William Light – Founder of a City (Adelaide) – Dutton and Elder.

Islands of South-West Tasmania – Gary White

The Henty Journals – A Record of Farming, Whaling and Shipping in Portland Bay, 1834-1839. – Lynnette Peel

The Founding of Hobart 1803-1804 – Frank Bolt

Ross Bridge Tasmania – Studies in Historical Archaeology – Maureen Byrne

Discovery – Stories of Modern Mineral Exploration – Alan Trengove

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