Blackfella's Point lies on the Towamba River in south-eastern New South Wales. This work is a history for every Australian who is interested in the story of settler-Australia's relations with indigenous people, what happened between them, and how they came to confront the truth about their past.
Return to Uluru explores the cold case that strikes at the heart of Australia’s white supremacy—the death of an Aboriginal man in 1934; the iconic life of a white, "outback" police officer; and the continent's most sacred and mysterious landmark. Inside Cardboard Box 39 at the South Australian Museum’s storage facility lies the forgotten skull of an Aboriginal man who died eighty-five years before. His misspelled name is etched on the crown, but the many bones in boxes around him remain unidentified. Who was Yokununna, and how did he die? His story reveals the layered, exploitative white Australian mindset that has long rendered Aboriginal reality all but invisible. When policeman Bill McKinnon’s Aboriginal prisoners escape in 1934, he’s determined to get them back. Tracking them across the so called "dead heart" of the country, he finds the men at Uluru, a sacred rock formation. What exactly happened there remained a mystery, even after a Commonwealth inquiry. But Mark McKenna’s research uncovers new evidence, getting closer to the truth, revealing glimpses of indigenous life, and demonstrating the importance of this case today. Using McKinnon’s private journal entries, McKenna paints a picture of the police officer's life to better understand how white Australians treat the center of the country and its inhabitants. Return to Uluru dives deeply into one cold case. But it also provides a searing indictment of the historical white supremacy still present in Australia—and has fascinating, illuminating parallels to the growing racial justice movements in the United States.
In March 1797, five British sailors and 12 Bengali seamen struggled ashore after their longboat broke apart in a storm. Their fellow-survivors from the wreck of the Sydney Cove were stranded more than 500 kilometres southeast in Bass Strait. To rescue their mates and to save themselves the 19 men must walk 700 kilometres north to Sydney. That remarkable walk is a story of endurance but also of unexpected Aboriginal help. From the Edge: Australia’s Lost Histories recounts four such extraordinary and largely forgotten stories: the walk of shipwreck survivors; the founding of a 'new Singapore' in western Arnhem Land in the 1840s; Australia's largest industrial development project nestled amongst outstanding Indigenous rock art in the Pilbara; and the ever-changing story of James Cook's time in Cooktown in 1770. This new telling of the central drama of Australian history ;the encounter between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians, may hold the key to understanding this land and its people.
'The History Wars is very important. The book will sit on the shelves of libraries as a code stone to help people understand the motivations of players in today's contemporary debate. It sheds light on the political battle which is carried on in the pubs and on the footpaths about who we are and what has become of us.' andmdash; Hon. Paul Keating, Prime Minister of Australia, 1991-1996 The nation's history has probably never been more politicised than it is today. Politicians, journalists, columnists, academics and Australians from all walks of life argue passionately andmdash; and often, ideologically andmdash; about the significance of the national story: the cherished ideal of the 'fair go', the much contested facts of Indigenous dispossession, the Anzac legend, and the nation's strategic alliance with the United States. Historians have become both combatants and casualties in this war of words. In The History Wars, Stuart Macintyre and Anna Clark explore how this intense public debate has polarised the nation and paralysed history departments. This edition includes a new afterword by Stuart Macintyre which recounts, with rueful irony, the outbreak of controversy that followed the book's original publication, and the further light it shed on the uses and abuses of Australian history.
Manning Clark was a complex, demanding and brilliant man. Mark McKenna's compelling biography of this giant of Australia's cultural landscape is informed by his reading of Clark's extensive private letters, journals and diaries-many that have never been read before. An Eye for Eternity paints a sweeping portrait of the man who gave Australians the signature account of their own history. It tells of his friendships with Patrick White and Sidney Nolan. It details an urgent and dynamic marriage, ripped apart at times by Clark's constant need for extramarital romantic love. A son who wrote letters to his dead parents. A historian who placed narrative ahead of facts. A doubter who flirted with Catholicism. A controversial public figure who marked slights and criticisms with deeply held grudges. To understand Clark's life is to understand twentieth century Australia. And it raises fundamental questions about the craft of biography. When are letters too personal, comments too hurtful and insights too private to publish? Clark incessantly documented his life-leaving notes to the biographers he knew would pursue his story. He had a deep need to be remembered and this book means he will now be understood in an unforgettable way. Winner of the Prime Minister's Literary Award for Non-Fiction 2012 Winner of the Non-Fiction Book award at the Victorian Premier's Literary Awards 2012 Winner of the Non-Fiction Book award at the Queensland Premier's Literary Awards 2012 Winner of the Douglas Stewart Prize at the NSW Premier's Literary Awards 2012 Winner of the Adelaide Festival Awards for Literature 2012 - Non-Fiction award 2012 Finalist for the 2011 Walkley Book awards Shortlisted for the 2011 Manning Clark House National Cultural Award
Australia is on the brink of momentous change, but only if its citizens and politicians can come to new terms with the past. In this inspiring essay, Mark McKenna considers the role of history in making and unmaking the nation. From Captain Cook to the frontier wars, from Australia Day to the Uluru Statement, we are seeing fresh debates and recognitions. McKenna argues that it is time to move beyond the history wars, and that truth-telling about the past will be liberating and healing. This is an urgent essay about a nation’s moment of truth. ‘The time for pitting white against black, shame against pride, and one people’s history against another’s, has had its day. After nearly fifty years of deeply divisive debates over the country’s foundation and its legacy for Indigenous Australians, Australia stands at a crossroads – we either make the commonwealth stronger and more complete through an honest reckoning with the past, or we unmake the nation by clinging to triumphant narratives in which the violence inherent in the nation’s foundation is trivialised.’ —Mark McKenna, Moment of Truth
Jon Rhodes was the recipient of an H.C. Coombs Creative Arts Fellowship at the Australian National University in 2006. For four months he lived in Canberra and researched the history of all the places he had photographed for this National Library exhibition. The book, Cage of Ghosts,was published in late 2008.
This anthology brings together leading Australian and North American nature writers. Responding to places that sustain, inspire and sometimes sadden, the pieces are propelled by passion, anger and history.
Why do many First People in Australia find themselves continually under siege? Why do many interventions fail to produce what was hoped for? Why is it that, when there have been many positive developments, at some deep level, nothing seems to have changed? Will the “Uluru Statement from the Heart” ensure the future security of the First Peoples in Australia? By developing strands from Christian theology, Liberating the Will of Australia answers these questions in a way that gets to the heart of the problem. It is shown that the way that the First Peoples were treated by the first European in-comers became an indelible part of what Australia currently is. This explains why harm is often done even when good is intended, and why some problems are too complex to solve. But that does not mean that we need to be stuck in the past: through deep repentance by the “Subsequent Peoples,” much more than an apology, we can take hold of the work of God to bring new things out of what is broken. Ultimately, this is profoundly hopeful. Although focusing on Australia, the theological tools developed can be applied in other colonial and post-colonial contexts.
This practical travel guide to Australia features detailed factual travel tips and points-of-interest structured lists of all iconic must-see sights as well as some off-the-beaten-track treasures. Our itinerary suggestions and expert author picks of things to see and do will make it a perfect companion both, ahead of your trip and on the ground. This Australia guide book is packed full of details on how to get there and around, pre-departure information and top time-saving tips, including a visual list of things not to miss. Our colour-coded maps make Australia easier to navigate while you're there. This guide book to Australia has been fully updated post-COVID-19. The Rough Guide to AUSTRALIA covers: Sydney and around; New South Wales and the ACT; Coastal Queensland; Outback Queensland; Northern Territory; Western Australia; South Australia; Melbourne and around; Victoria; Tasmania Inside this Australia travel guide you'll find: RECOMMENDATIONS FOR EVERY TYPE OF TRAVELLER Experiences for every kind of trip to Australia, from off-the-beaten-track adventures in Uluru to family activities in child-friendly places, like Atherton Tablelands or chilled-out breaks in popular tourist areas, like Sydney Harbour. PRACTICAL TRAVEL TIPS Essential pre-departure information including Australia entry requirements, getting around, health information, travelling with children, sports and outdoor activities, food and drink, festivals, culture and etiquette, shopping, tips for travellers with disabilities and more. TIME-SAVING ITINERARIES Carefully planned routes covering the best of Australia give a taste of the richness and diversity of the destination, and have been created for different time frames or types of trip. DETAILED REGIONAL COVERAGE Clear structure within each sightseeing chapter of this Australia travel guide includes regional highlights, brief history, detailed sights and places ordered geographically, recommended restaurants, hotels, bars, clubs and major shops or entertainment options. INSIGHTS INTO GETTING AROUND LIKE A LOCAL Tips on how to beat the crowds, save time and money and find the best local spots for exploring the giant dunes and freshwater lakes or surfing. HIGHLIGHTS OF THINGS NOT TO MISS Rough Guides' rundown of Melbourne, Bondi Beach, Victoria and Tasmania's best sights and top experiences helps to make the most of each trip to Australia, even in a short time. HONEST AND INDEPENDENT REVIEWS Written by Rough Guides' expert authors with a trademark blend of humour, honesty and expertise, this Australia guide book will help you find the best places, matching different needs. BACKGROUND INFORMATION Comprehensive 'Contexts' chapter features fascinating insights into Australia, with coverage of history, religion, ethnic groups, environment, wildlife and books, plus a handy language section and glossary. FABULOUS FULL COLOUR PHOTOGRAPHY Features inspirational colour photography, including the stunning Mitchell Falls and the spectacular Manly Beach. COLOUR-CODED MAPPING Practical full-colour maps, with clearly numbered, colour-coded keys for quick orientation in Sydney, Queensland and many more locations in Australia, reduce the need to go online. USER-FRIENDLY LAYOUT With helpful icons, and organised by neighbourhood to help you pick the best spots to spend your time.