Queensland

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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Cruising the Coral Sea – Alan Lucas

This is the third edition nicely updated with aerial images and some extra anchorages. A really super book about the tropical coast of Queensland and the Ocean and Islands. The kind of book that is probably difficult to continue to produce spoilt by the accessibility of the internet. But nowhere is so much useful and interesting information presented in an orderly and balanced fashion.

Published by Horwitz in 1976, large octavo, 336 pages with a multitude of maps, sketches, the aforesaid photographic images etc.

After a useful introduction we have a description of the reefs , the islands past present and notes on conservation. Then a handy chapter on catching and cooking your own food .. and the number of poisonous creatures encountered. Safety in the waster … not just sharks but the stingers even the small ones that can kill. Then into the detail of the approaches and anchorages and what a good anchorage looks like …

A special book on Queensland and only dated where it is interesting …

$30.00

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Mount Morgan Gold Mine – Queensland – Newton & Co – Original Magic Lantern Slide – c1910

Very good condition magic lantern slide from Newton & Co Fleet described in cursive writing.

We date the slide to around 1910. New & Co were at 43 Museum Street London. They were the world’s longest established suppliers of scientific instruments being formed by Sir Isaac Newton’s cousin J. Newton in 1704. At the time of this slide the proprietors were still from the Newton family. The British Museum have Newton & Co out of business at Museum Street in 1913, but other references have it continuing

A classic view of this famous mine which magnifies to present incredible detail. Standard British size in fine condition. A scarce slide.

Gold was discovered in 1870 by William Mackinley. Unfortunately, he couldn’t find anyone to confirm that it was gold. After some “carry on” a chap called Gordan had a crack at it … he needed the financial muscle of the Morgan brothers who in the end diddled Gordan out of the find on a technicality. See our ephemera piece on the true story behind it all.

Rare Queensland Gold Mining Lantern Slide

$120.00

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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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Richard Daintree – A Photographic Memoir [Queensland] – G.C. Bolton

Bolton’s book published by Brisbane’s Jacaranda Press in 1965. Small quarto, 89 pages, good reproductions from original photographs. Special aboriginal images and a unique record of pioneering days and the first mining activities.. . some images of explorers Frank and William Hann.

The brilliant first Geologist of Queensland was also very handy with the early camera. This was the 1860’s and the quality of the images taken belies the equipment available and the condition in which some of the images were taken.

Best early Queensland photographs

$50.00

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“Battler’s” Tales of Early Rockhampton – Grant Pattison

A very scarce first edition of this book about goings on in and around Rockhampton, Queensland.

Self published by the author printed by Fraser & Jenkinson, Melbourne in 1939. Octavo, 152 pages, illustrated, bound in original cloth covered boards. This book appears prone to spine fading and deterioration and this one is no exception, the spine has been re-enforced with bindings tape and the board edges are rubbed heavily … maybe insect nibble. Having said that a pretty clean and bright copy internally so still a good copy.

The author was a well known local identity and journalist in Queensland. The book is et out in 39 chapters dealing with a particular story that no doubt Pattison had covered in the press before.

Starts with the “Birth of Rockhampton” … Gracemere Pioneers .. Canoona Rush … Rockhampton in the Sixties [1860’s] .. Pioneers of Fitzroy … Mr Booze .. Horse Dealers … Scrub Riders … Crimes Committed … The First Steeplechase … Murder of Fanny Briggs … Murder of Halligan … Horse thieves and Cattle Rustlers .. Mount Morgan [Gold] … etc etc.

The author notes “ I regret I have to delete a good deal of the history of Mount Morgan and the Rape of William Pattison’s Estate. This has been done on legal advice to save the printer anxiety, and I regret I am not strong enough financially to contest any action the descendants of the wolves who did not bother to wear sheep’s clothing may be inclined to take.”

Historical Curiosities – Early Rockhampton.

$120.00

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Discovery – Stories of Modern Mineral Exploration – Alan Trengove

Cruising the Coral Sea – Alan Lucas

Mount Morgan Gold Mine – Queensland – Newton & Co – Original Magic Lantern Slide – c1910

The Exploration of Australia – Albert Calvert – First Edition 1895

Richard Daintree – A Photographic Memoir [Queensland] – G.C. Bolton

“Battler’s” Tales of Early Rockhampton – Grant Pattison

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