Non-fiction

Helmets and Hatchets – A History of the Hobart Fire Brigade 1883-1983 – Roger McNeice.

Someone once explained to Voyager that the making of a Fire Brigade was the defining moment in any Nation. They did however build Fire Engine.

Enough, this is a super book about this important service to the community .. non less than in Southern Tasmania which has had its fair share of very difficult fires.

Published by the State Fire Commission in 1983. Signed by author McNeice on the title page.

Large wide octavo, 237 pages, heavily illustrated mainly from period photographs. A very good near fine copy.

“Fireys” honoured after 100 years service to Hobart

$40.00

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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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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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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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The Tasmanian Trading Ketch – Garry Kerr

A Voyager favourite – what better looking boat?

Effectively self published in 1987. Small quarto, 179 pages, with very special illustrations of images and technical drawings of these fine craft, end paper charts. A very good copy.

The author was a crayfisherman who developed an interesting in writing from oral history – what a super combination.

Super sections on the design, hull form, lofting and building. Sails and sailing follow with yarns about plying there trade and the showing at regattas. And, life on board and the inevitable mishaps.

Wonderful book on a wonderful vessel by a crayfisherman no less.

$45.00

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Helmets and Hatchets – A History of the Hobart Fire Brigade 1883-1983 – Roger McNeice.

Australia’s Worst Shipwrecks – Chris Halls

The Native Tribes of Tasmania – J.E. Calder

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

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

The Tasmanian Trading Ketch – Garry Kerr

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