Australian Inland Exploration

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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Historical Survey of Northern Tasmania – Low Head to Launceston – McKnight

Hard to find soft cover and a quality production.

Published in 1998 at Launceston, effectively self published. 144 pages, perfect bound nicely illustrated.

Carefully written history with particular emphasis on the earliest reports of Port Dalrymple and the Tamar.

Naturally starts with Bass and Flinders in 1798; then Freycinet and Faure in 1802. Surveys by William Collins in 1804 along with the observations of Clark and Brown.

The last third is taken up by the seldomly referenced activities of Lieutenant Governor William Patterson who in 1804 was sent by Governor King to establish a colony at Port Dalrymple on at the behest of Lord Hobart from his desk in London. Patterson’s official and private journals are referred to as well as Mountgarrett’s account and the Paterson led explorations of the North Esk river.

Northern Tasmania, Port Dalrymple and, in particular, the keen observations of William Patterson.

$30.00

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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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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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The Todd Journal – Andrew alias William Todd – John Batman’s Recorder and his Indented Head Journal 1835

Effectively self published by Peter Alsop [who drew the maps] and Philip Brown who edited the then unpublished journals through the Geelong Historical Society. We are not sure how many publication the Geelong Historical Society sponsored but they di a good job here.

Large squarish octavo, 199 pages, illustrated including from sketches by Wedge, end paper maps by Alsop. A nice production in fine condition.

Todd’s journal covers five months in 1835 with misunderstood Bateman and his surveyor friend Helder Wedge in there travels around the Geelong region south east of Melbourne. Including the location “Indented Head” if you were curious of the title. Much about the local aboriginal groups and individuals.

Andrew (or William) Todd and his acute observations of realty.

$40.00

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

Historical Survey of Northern Tasmania – Low Head to Launceston – McKnight

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.

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

The Todd Journal – Andrew alias William Todd – John Batman’s Recorder and his Indented Head Journal 1835

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

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