New South Wales

Bulldozer – Michael Terry – Rare – signed by Terry and with an interesting note by recipient.

Explorer adventurer Michael Terry was excluded from the War effort in WWII because of previous health issues and maybe he was getting on. This did not stop him assisting the war effort of the N.S.W. Department of Main Roads. After all, at the time he was likely Australia’s most notable modern inland adventurer. On one of his famous 1920’s expedition he drove a Model T Ford from Queensland to Broome in WA. His further explorations by camel and tractor gave rise to several highly collectable travel accounts.

Published by the State Government in 1945. Perfect bound, decorative card covers, 260 pages, illustrated from period photographs. Super scarce … no other obvious copies available. Signed boldly by Terry near front. A little age as you would expect, still a very good copy.

The premise of the book may sound a bit dull. Fear not the NSW infrastructure people had quite different role because of the War and assisting communication throughout Australia was one of them and it did not stop there … with involvement in Noumea, New Caledonia in the Pacific etc. Terry has a style, reflected in his earlier writing ‘Across Unknown Australia” etc that takes you to the moment of his adventures and observations, many references to individuals and their exploits. We also have the bombing of Darwin and the making of the Brisbane Line difficulties with a Diving Bell etc.

At front is a very interesting note likely by the recipient “Beau” …. “Michael Terry was my friend. He served as a Marine in Russia in the war subsequent to WWI [Terry was an armoured car driver – he was captured and narrowly escaped execution by the Bolsheviks] … he travelled inland Australia and wrote about it. He was a F.R.G.S … He would now be at least 100 … 24th October 77 …” and other reminiscences. The writer quite wrong about Terry’s age, he would have been 78 at the time this note was written … time has a way of clouding the memory.

Michael Terry a scarce and unusual account …

$80.00

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Richard Siddins of Port Jackson [Australian Maritime History] – Lyndon Rose.

Published by Roebuck in 1984 a nice production, larger format, 152 pages, Illustrated, end paper maps. A very good copy.

Richard Siddins was a merchant sea captain who sailed out of Port Jackson from 1804 to 1822. He operated sealing expeditions to the Antarctic Oceans; gathered sandalwood; carried cargo to India and China. Within all this he experienced more adventure seeking gold from a wrecked privateer; taking care at a cannibal feast; chased by Tongan war canoes; wrecked off Macquarie Island … it was all in a day’s work for Captain Siddins.

Hinted above amongst all this was an important early voyage to the South Shetland Islands.

Early Australian Maritime History.

$35.00

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Joseph Mason – assigned Convict 1831-1837 – Edited by Kent and Townsend.

Published by the Melbourne University Press, a fine copy of the first edition 1996. Octavo, 182 pages with end paper maps. Gift inscription on half title otherwise clean as a whistle.

Joseph Mason was transported to New South Wales, one of many who protested against the mechanisation of agriculture … threshing machines.

The large part of this book is his Memoir of goings on a wonderful insight into the Colony … referencing encounters with aboriginal people and good descriptions of convict “assignments” around Sydney, Parramatta and Campbelltown and explorations along the Nepean River.

Good introductory chapters with contributions from David Kent as well as the industrious editors.

One of the more thorough and thoughtful convict accounts

$20.00

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Fatal Storm -The 54th Sydney to Hobart Yacht – Rob Mundie – First Edition 1999

For those that remember it, and for many impossible to forget, the storm that took six lives in the 1998 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race was beyond any expectations. Waves a high as 100 feet (half the size of the Sydney Opera House) pounded boats in the Bass Strait for more than a day. This is the record of those events.

Softcover, published by Harper and Collins in 1999. Large octavo, 317 pages with numerous illustrations many in colour. Very good almost as new condition.

Real life Fatal Storm – Sydney Hobart 1998

$30.00

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The Canary Jacket – Ann Shead – First Edition 1968

First edition published by Collins, London and Sydney in 1968. A “novel of early Australia” by the distinguished author.

Octavo, 256 pages, a very good copy in a complete and clean dust jacket.

Australian author Ann Shead came from Cornish stock. This story start in Cornwall and smuggling which leads to transportation to New South Wales. The realities of life downunder for convicts bound out to serve a Master are to the fore of the narrative. Things do improve and the book ends pleasantly high and rewarding.

Convicts doing it tough but seeing it through in the end … the lucky ones in the Lucky Country.

$30.00

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The Exploration of Australia – Albert Calvert – First Edition 1895

A pretty good copy of the first edition of Calvert’s book much admired and coveted in any collection on the subject. A compendium volume was issued a year later due to the success of this work.

Published by George Philip, London in 1895. Small quarto, 26cm by 21 cm, quarter bound cream buckram (simulated vellum) over deep blue buckram with gild titles and line decoration. Aged to spine as usual, corners rubbed. Pretty good internally the large folding map repaired close tear. Internally a little browned due to the spongy nature of the paper, really quite clean throughout; viii, 26 pages. Frontispiece of Dampier, 16 plates. A solid book 1.4kgs.

The super map is 87cm by 72cm with the routes of the likes of Sturt, Mitchel, great, Winnecke etc marked

Albert Calvert carried out his own explorations often influenced by gold exploration and mainly in western Australia. He was a prolific writer about Australia partly to fund his exploratory activities. He had previously published ‘The Discovery of Australia” concerning the early maritime activities of the Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, French, British etc. In the Preface to this work he describes his pain in working with the early accounts, in terms of their completeness, reliability etc. In this work he is more at ease in that he has the first hand accounts of the various explorers .. on land he mapped out each day of their activities … hence the huge map included.

Exploration covered include in the maritime, Dampier; the Dutch; Cook; Flinders; Phillip; Baudin, Bougainville … in the interior, Wentworth; Sturt; Mitchell; Macquarie; George Grey; Eyre etc

Calvert’s collectable account on the exploration of Australia with valuable map.

$150.00

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Bulldozer – Michael Terry – Rare – signed by Terry and with an interesting note by recipient.

Richard Siddins of Port Jackson [Australian Maritime History] – Lyndon Rose.

Joseph Mason – assigned Convict 1831-1837 – Edited by Kent and Townsend.

Fatal Storm -The 54th Sydney to Hobart Yacht – Rob Mundie – First Edition 1999

The Canary Jacket – Ann Shead – First Edition 1968

The Exploration of Australia – Albert Calvert – First Edition 1895

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