Robert Hughes. 

An epic description of the brutal transportation of men, women and children out of Georgian Britain into horrific penal system which was to be the precursor to the Gulag and was the origin of Australia. 688pp.

Many believe that Alfred Howitt, an experienced bushman who had already taken a small and successful expedition into South Australia’s outback, should have led the Burke and Wills Expedition. Instead, he was given the task of discovering what happened to the missing men.

Howitt’s story makes enthralling reading. He recounts the discovery of the two dead explorers, and the recovery of the sole survivor, John King. In the final part of the story, Howitt reflects on the return expedition to collect the two bodies. Finding Burke and Wills republishes a talk Howitt gave in Adelaide more than 40 years later in 1907, with the explorer looking back on the two expeditions.

This volume is enlivened with many vibrant and intricate drawings from the 1858 expedition. Sketched by Babbage, and also by David Herrgott, many of these are being published for the first time.

A scholarly introduction by Valmai Hankel thoughtfully unites the wide scope of this publication. Portraits of the protagonists, and a map especially drawn for the book, complete an unusual, fascinating and beautifully presented addition to the Friends’ Australiana publications.

Colin Dyer. 

A detailed and highly readable account. This highly readable account offers a fresh perspective on the early European exploration of Australia. 240pp.

A Hardcover facsimile reprint of the diary of Ernest Giles is available. This is the first major printing since 1875 and it contains the diary records of Giles' first two explorations in the Ayers Rock, Petermann Ranges, Gibson Desert area. The book is a hard cover book of 225 pages with a fold out map drawn by Giles inside the back cover. I found it fascinating reading and can recommend it to anyone interested in the exploration of Australia.

Ernest Giles has been described as the last of the great nineteenth century explorers. No explorer covered more territory than Giles and none wrote more vivid and evocative accounts of his experiences. Now for the first time since 1875 Giles' own first hand account of his two major Central Australian expeditions has been republished. Geographic Travels in Central Australia from 1872 to 1874 by Ernest Giles is a facsimile copy of the original 1875 publication.

Anthony J Brown. 

Between them, Baudin and Flinders filled in most of the gaps on the map of what was then New Holland but both voyages ended in personal disaster. 528pp.

Facsimile edition of the book originally printed in 1909. 374pp. Hard Cover.

Bruce Simpson.

The disappearance in 1848 of Leichhardt and his party is one of the most enduring mysteries in Australia's history. Nearly 100 years later four stockmen found some strange colonial artefacts on a remote Queensland property, it seemed some of the questions may have been answered.

The author was one of the men who made the discovery. Simpson now tells how he and his mates went on a journey of investigation of what they believed to be Leichhardt's passing, offering his own explanation for what happened to the ill-fated expedition.

Tony Horwitz.

Captain James Cook's three voyages in the eighteenth century were the last great voyages of discovery. Horwitz vividly recounts these voyages and exotic scenes he encountered, as well as exploring the man himself. From poor farm boy to the greatest navigator in history.

Augustus Charles Gregory. 

Australian explorations in the Western, Northern and Central portions of Australia. 210pp.

Philip Edwards.

Chronicles Cooks sea voyages of discovery.