Australian Coastal Exploration and Maritime

Medal in Celebration of the Discovery of the Johnstone River, Queensland in 1873.

Produced in 1973 the celebrate the 100 year anniversary of George Elphinstone Dalrymple’s Discovery.

Cast in coppered bronze by K G Luke. 50 mm in diameter, weighing 48 gm, very good condition.

Nice design of the North and South Johnson combining and meandering down to the Pacific Ocean through heavily wooded hilly terrain. A very clear horizon, and in the sky above the explorers full name and commemorative dates the full commemorative details in a border around the edge. On the reverse a Floral and scroll design, presumably to take the engraved name of any recipient – here still blank.

The designer is associated with Sir Kenneth George Lake (1896-1971) who had a very successful business making all things requiring metal design … he was also an important identity in sports administration in Australian particularly the AFL.

George Elphinstone Dalrymple was a legendary explorer, pioneer and pastoralist in northern Queensland. See Robert Logan Jack’s Northmost Australia for a good account of his efforts. He named the Johnstone River in 1873 in honour of Robert Johnstone of the Native Police who had carried out his handy work in the region. Unusually, the river had already been named by Captain Moresby a year or two earlier … his name the Gladys did not stick, thankfully. The Johnstone is a spectacular part of Australia .. the rivers are subject to exceedingly high rainfall and make for the very best of white water rafting. The confluence of the North and South is about five kms west of the town of Innisafail. If you go there … watch out for salty crocodiles.

Very good uncirculated condition, strong relief.

Celebrating Northern Queensland Exploration

$80.00

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The Russians in Hobart 1823 – Glynn Barratt

Published by the University of Tasmania in 22004, Glynn Barratt being an exert and author on Russian activity in and around Australia and the Pacific in the 19th Century.

Soft cover, perfect bound, 161 pages, illustrated. A fine copy.

Unusual, an most interesting, having a book focusing on Russian activity in isolation.

May 1823 two Russian ships the Kreise and Ladonga came up the Derwent and stayed for three weeks. Even then there was a curiosity about Russia and the Russians. They were well received, maybe more because of the money they could put into the economy than anything else. The officers mixed with the well heeled and dances and parties ensued. Both ships carried natural history scientists. The content here is based on reports of the voyage and later publications of a midshipman Dmitrii Zavalishin later on.

Whilst the book focuses on this expedition [the date is in the title], there is a fair amount of the previous voyage of Bellingshausen in the Vostok [the one where he had returned from the Antarctic]. After sighting Van Diemen’s Land he sailed on the Sydney. His second vessel Mirnyi was much slower and took more careful note of Tasmania …

Russian interest in Tasmania in the early 19th Century.

$30.00

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A History of Tasmania – Vol I – Van Diemen’s Land from the earliest Times to 1855 – Lloyd Robson

First edition 1983 published by the Oxford University Press, Melbourne. Thick royal octavo, 6312 pages, illustrated, end paper maps. A fine copy.

The early part of what would become a two volume work by Robson. The author a historian of distinction educated at UTAS, University of London and ANU when appointed into the Department of History Melbourne was awarded a Nuffield Foundation Scholarship to write this history in the UK.

Pointedly ahead of its time after the introductory “Reconnaissance” Robson titles the arrival of the first settlers and convicts … “Invasion”.

As you would expect a solid history which undoubtedly draws on West, Giblin etc but with the advantages of modern research pre-Goggle.

Solid comprehensive well written history of Tasmania to the end of Transportation and the beginning of self Government.

$60.00

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Batavia – The first and last voyage – Phillipe Godard.

Published by Abrolhos, Perth in 1993. Large quarto, 332 pages, a high quality production. Heavy will require a postage supplement if going overseas. Fine condition.

Well researched and stunningly illustrated our favourite Batavia book. All about the V.O.C., Francisco Pelsaert, the voyage and the Houtman Abrolhos and the wreck, Cornelisz’ Webb of treachery, Cat’s Island … and then much later the discovery of the wreck the treasures and the building of the replica and rebirth.

Become a true Batavia Expert – a photographic delight

$60.00

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An account of a Voyage to Establish a Colony at port Philip in Bass’s Strait, on the South Coast of New South Wales, in His Majesty’s Ship Calcutta, in the Years 1803-3-4. – J.H. Tuckey.

Tuckey was a First Lieutenant of the Calcutta and this is a true facsimile of the voyage to and affairs in Australia of the abandoned attempt to create a settlement at Port Philip and the consequence of the move that led to the foundation of Hobart in Tasmania. Some useful footnotes are added.

The voyage out occupies approximately 60% of the book .. to Teneriffe; Cape Verde; Rio de Janeiro [much about Rio]; Cape of Good Hope [Via Voyager’s favourite island group Tristan d’Acunha; then the mysterious St Paul's and on to Port Philip. Them transactions at Port Philip which gives rise to the addenda … lists of plants; Meteorological observations; timbers found and observations respecting the selection of convicts and the means of preserving health. Hobart get a mention but its brief before the vessel turns for home.

Published by marsh etc, Melbourne in 1974. Octavo, set as the original of 1805, 240 pages. Bound in full leather with impressed design to front and back, raised bands to spine, separate leather title label [spare label at back]. Number 51 of a limited edition of 500. Hand bound at the Dove Bindery, Melbourne. A very good copy albeit previous ownership details hidden in the end papers.

Tuckey on the Calcutta – his account.

$120.00

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William Dampier in New Holland – Alex S. George

The subtitle to this book now not socially acceptable but excuse it for its emphasis.

A very nice book and the subject, William Dampier, could not be more interesting … confidante of Jonathan Swift and stimulator of Gulliver and his Travels.

Here we have Dampier in and around the coast of Australia.

Published by Bloomings Books in 1999. Tall octavo, 171 pages, rich dark end papers and beautifully illustrated with images of the wonderful drawings from Dampier’s journals juxtaposed with modern colour photographs of similar subjects. Super fine condition.

A super production and a must for any Dampierite.

$40.00

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Medal in Celebration of the Discovery of the Johnstone River, Queensland in 1873.

The Russians in Hobart 1823 – Glynn Barratt

A History of Tasmania – Vol I – Van Diemen’s Land from the earliest Times to 1855 – Lloyd Robson

Batavia – The first and last voyage – Phillipe Godard.

An account of a Voyage to Establish a Colony at port Philip in Bass’s Strait, on the South Coast of New South Wales, in His Majesty’s Ship Calcutta, in the Years 1803-3-4. – J.H. Tuckey.

William Dampier in New Holland – Alex S. George

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