Australiana

Bush Tram-Ways & Private Railways of Tasmania – J.G. Branagan.

Self-published by Branagan in 1992.

A fine copy, softcover, perfect bound, 174 pages, profusely illustrated from period images, and lots of maps of tracks etc.

Cover the period 1850 to 1960 and we doubt there has been much missed by an author thoroughly immersed in his task.

Cover every region of Tasmania and the number of lines referenced too many to count … and the mining industry, of course, features heavily.

Bush-Tramways – love it

$30.00

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Robbins Island Saga [North-West Tasmania] – Pauline Buckby – Signed Annotated

A fine copy of the comprehensive history of this fascinating island off the north-west of Tasmania.

Authored by local historian Pauline Buckby with a forward that sets the scene by Kerry Pink.

Signed by the author with thanks to Cyril Smith on publication. Cyril Smith, a maritime expert who along with shipwreck hero Jack Loney gets an acknowledgement.

Softcover, perfect bound, 186 pages very nicely and profusely illustrated. Effectively self-published in 1988.

Starts from the very beginning of settlement and the early whalers, then the Reids and the maritime Holyman’s … along the way a cheese factory and other ventures until after WWII when American Gene Hammond arrived and quite a story … the Hammond family still have the island and “cowboy” their prized Wagu cattle across the channel to the mainland, an activity that can be seen on video if you search hard enough. Good people.

Robbins Island more than a wind farm.

SO SORRY SOLD

$40.00

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Sir Hubert Wilkins – His World of Adventure – Lowell Thomas

Unusual publishing disclosure … by the Readers Books Club, by arrangement with Arthur Baker, London in 1963. However, actually published in Australia by Colorgravure Publications, Hawthorn Melbourne. A pretty good copy a little age but clean and a nice jacket. Discrete prior ownership stamp on paste down.

Octavo, 247 pages, illustrated with numerous images from photographs of our hero and his endeavours.

This is a late book by, the prolific American traveller, Lowell Thomas who made his name writing about Lawrence of Arabia of whom he also made newsreel which he used as a basis for his sell out lectures in the USA and England – Covent Garden no less – and for months sold out.

After all that we have little room left for Hubert Wilkins, Australia’s greatest ever adventurer in our mind. There are some modern publications on Wilkins and we suggest they are largely based on this book. Lowell Thomas has come in for some criticism re exaggeration [also happened re his work on Lawrence] – we suggest only because the critics struggle with the breadth and depth of the subject character

Lowell Thomas on Hubert Wilkins – we are true believers.

$35.00

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Callaghan & Batman (Van Diemens’s Land 1825) – Edited by E.F. [Eustice FitzSymonds]

Number 476 of a limited edition of 500 copies published by the classy Sullivan’s Cove in 1978.

An unusual book in proportions (33cm x 19cm), 43 pages, with double page map at centre. Printed on thick wove paper. Dust jacket from a picture by Lycett. A very good copy.

Intriguing in content. Was the convict Eliza Callaghan hidden at Ben Lomond by John Batman in 1825? Contains police evidence as well as details of her trial at the Old Bailey and statements from the inquest after her murder at Geelong in 1852. A love story portrayed by contemporary documents and reports.

Tasmanian Mystery – a nice production

$40.00

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The First Documented Medical Discovery Relating to Australia – An Account of the medicinal Effects of the Resin of Acaroides Resinifera, or Yellow Resin from Botany Bay. By Charles Kite, Surgeon Gravesend, and C.M.S – contained in the Memoirs of the Medical Society of London – Published 1795 [but written in 1790]

A complete volume being Volume IV of the Society printed by Darton and Harvey for Charles Dilly, in the Poultry [London]. Very rare in any form. Published 1795. Incidentally the Medical Society was formed in 1773.

Octavo, 447 pages after preliminaries and before index. Neat library binding with paper title label. Cancelled stamp of the Bath Medical Library [Heaven knows why]. One loose gathering and a little age but a very worthy copy of this most interesting FIRST.

Many of the papers have merit but we must focus here on the paper relating to the Botany Bay resin. {Note resin and gum interchangeable below per Kite’s use]

Charles Kite who died in 1811 [no record of dob] is known for this work and another on “raising the apparently dead” he was the first to publish an example of using an electric shock [static electricity] to resuscitate a cardiac arrest.

We understand Charles Kite came up with the name Acaroides Resinifera for the plant, whilst it is now known as Xanthorrhoea or Grass Tree. Cook noted it in his journals in the year 1770 and it is now widely accepted that the gum was used for a variety of purposes by the aborigines including for its medical properties.

After an introduction relating to its use in stomach complaints Kite gives some historical background – refers to Philip’s journal {p. 59,60] but goes on to say the best information came from Mr Bowes Surgeon on the Lady Penrhyn. Bowes after describing the tree precisely goes on to where the “gum” is found, its quantity and how it is easily got especially in a hot sun. Kite goes on to record thirty experiments concerning the “gum” – various solutions and extractions. Kite proceeds to describe various cases where the “gum” has been used and the outcomes … also cases noted by other medics including Thompson of Rochester; Andrews of Brompton and Harris of Gravesend.

Comprehensive trial of the Botany Bay Resin by Charles Kite 1790/95 – Surely a FIRST

$490.00

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Beaconsfield Tasmania – Town with a History – Coultman Smith

Soft cover self published by the author in 1978. A super history, a really good job done on the Tasmanian mining town by Coultman Smith. Very good condition bar the ghost of an old sticker front cover.

Perfect bound, 78 pages, illustrated throughout including pull-out town plan which helps you get around the text. We love the image of the author on the rear cover – fag in mouth and a good smile for an ex army Colonel.

We love it – and a special one for mining buffs.

Beaconsfield probably the best one.

$30.00

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Bush Tram-Ways & Private Railways of Tasmania – J.G. Branagan.

Robbins Island Saga [North-West Tasmania] – Pauline Buckby – Signed Annotated

Sir Hubert Wilkins – His World of Adventure – Lowell Thomas

Callaghan & Batman (Van Diemens’s Land 1825) – Edited by E.F. [Eustice FitzSymonds]

Beaconsfield Tasmania – Town with a History – Coultman Smith

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