Colonial firebrand John Harris constructed the archetypal verandah house, the model for two centuries of Australian homes. Sue Rosen explores his life as a naval surgeon, magistrate, power broker, police chief and explorer who strode through the colony in convict times. She tells the story of his innovative house, still standing after 205 years.

The extraordinary story of the 20th century's most recognisable building, with new insights into the people involved and the controversy that surrounded its construction. Winner of the 2018 Walkley Book Award The best-loved building in Australia nearly didn't get off the drawing board. When it did, the lives of everyone involved in its construction were utterly changed: some for the better, many for the worse. Helen Pitt tells the stories of the people behind the magnificent white sails of the Sydney Opera House. From the famous conductor and state premier who conceived the project; to the two architects whose lives were so tragically intertwined; to the workers and engineers; to the people of Sydney, who were alternately beguiled and horrified as the drama unfolded over two decades. With access to diaries, letters, and classified records, as well as her own interviews with people involved in the project, Helen Pitt reveals the intimate back story of the building that turned Sydney into an international city. It is a tale worthy of Shakespeare himself. 'A drama-filled page turner' - Ita Buttrose AO OBE 'Helen Pitt tells us so much about the building of the Sydney Opera House we've never heard before' - Bob Carr, former Premier of NSW 'Australia in the seventies: mullets, platform shoes and, miraculously, the Opera House. At least we got one of them right. A great read.' - Amanda Keller, WSFM breakfast presenter

Where can you go to see what the Earth might have looked like billions of years ago? Outback Australia has some of the oldest landscapes in the world, with meteor craters that cover tens of kilometres. In this book you will also discover the ghost towns and underground communities that all help to make Australia such an interesting place to live or visit. How much do you really know about Australia? Did you know that the whole continent is on the move, or that Aussies were the first to use penicillin? Dip in anywhere throughout this series to find masses of mini articles on everything you could want to know about Australia.

DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: Australia is packed with color photographs, illustrations, and detailed maps that will help you discover Australia region-by-region, from the aboriginal sights of the Northern Territory to the wilderness of Tasmania. This fully updated guide includes 3-D illustrated cutaways and floor plans of must-see sights such as the Sydney Opera House and Canberra war memorial, as well as street-by-street maps of major Australian cities and towns. Detailed listings will guide you to hotels, restaurants, bars, and shops for all budgets. What's new in DK Eyewitness Travel Guides: New itineraries based on length of stay, regional destinations, and themes. Brand-new hotel and restaurants listings including DK's Choice recommendations. Restaurant locations plotted on redrawn area maps and listed with sights. Redesigned and refreshed interiors make the guides even easier to read. With hundreds of full-color photographs, hand-drawn illustrations, and custom maps that brighten every page, DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: Australia truly shows you this destination as no one else can.

With jaw-dropping natural attractions and magnificent man-made structures, Australia has an abundance of truly great places. From north to south and east to west, this book showcases the nation's best known and most loved places, and reveals their fascinating stories. Few other countries can boast the geographic diversity of Australia, with its deserts, tropical and temperate forests, wetlands and snow-capped mountains. And with this diversity comes some incredible natural features - the Great Barrier Reef, Fraser Island and Purnululu National Park, to name just a few. Some places have enormous cultural significance, reflecting our Indigenous heritage or our short history as a nation. And some places, of course, have both natural and cultural importance.

"Embrace the local culture as you dive in the Great Barrier Reef, watch Aussie Rules football, or sip shiraz in McLaren Vale. Find choices for every traveler, from deep-sea fishing and snorkeling to fine dining or just lounging on the beach" -- from book cover.

Fifty years after its first publication, Robin Boyd's bestselling The Australian Ugliness remains the definitive statement on how we live and think in the environments we create for ourselves. In it Boyd rallied against Australia's promotion of ornament, decorative approach to design and slavish imitation of all things American. 'The basis of the Australian ugliness,' he wrote, 'is an unwillingness to be committed on the level of ideas. In all the arts of living, in the shaping of all her artefacts, as in politics, Australia shuffles about vigorously in the middle - as she estimates the middle - of the road, picking up disconnected ideas wherever she finds them.' Boyd was a fierce critic, and an advocate of good design. He understood the significance of the connection between people and their dwellings, and argued passionately for a national architecture forged from a genuine Australian identity. His concerns are as important now, in an era of suburban sprawl and inner-city redevelopment, as they were half a century ago. Caustic and brilliant, The Australian Ugliness is a masterpiece that enables us to see our surroundings with fresh eyes. This handsome anniversary edition is complemented by Robin Boyd's original sketches for the book and a new afterword by major contemporary architects.

Whether you want to climb the Sydney harbor bridge, ride the perfect wave at Bondi Beach, watch the sun set over Ayers Rock, or stroll the cosmopolitan streets of Melbourne, this guide is your ultimate travel companion. The best places to visit in Australia are showcased with fantastic photography and detailed descriptions, plus DK's unique illustrations and floor plans. Packed with valuable insider information such as Sydney's best beaches and Melbourne's buzzing shopping districts, along with a wealth of practical tips including hotel and restaurant listings, transportation maps, suggested itineraries, and tours of unmissable sights, DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: Australia is the only guide you'll need. With hundreds of full-color photographs, hand-drawn illustrations, and custom maps that illuminate every page, DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: Australia truly shows you this city as no one else can.

Previous ed.: published by Evan McHugh, 1999.