The Road to Batemans Bay is the story of competing ventures to create ‘the Great Southern Township’ on the South Coast of New South Wales in the early 1840s. The idea of developing the furthest reaches of settlement was linked to the hopes of southern woolgrowers for a road from their properties to the coast, over the Great Dividing Range. The township proponents dreamed that having a quicker and cheaper connection to Sydney would allow them to open a port second only to Port Jackson. The scene begins with the proposed coastal township of St Vincent, in an age of optimism: settlement is expanding, exports are growing and land prices are soaring, generating Australia’s first land boom. Before long, however, the colony experiences a catastrophic economic depression whose ‘pestilential breath’ infects those with a stake in the coastal townships. Alastair Greig follows the fate of these individuals, while also speculating on the broader fate of South Coast development during the mid-nineteenth century. Greig gives a unique insight into many aspects of colonial life—including the worlds of Sydney’s merchants, auctioneers, land speculators, surveyors, map-makers and lawyers—as well as its maritime challenges. The Road to Batemans Bay is a chronicle of how Australia first developed its land-gambling habit and how land speculation led to the road to ruin.

No Worries, Mate is the journal of a modern-day swagman on a manly adventure in the land down under. Follow his manful exploits as he closes the pubs of Sydney, tramps about the Blue Mountains of New South Wales, cruises Victoria's Great Ocean Road, searches for the elusive Tasmanian devil, surfs the shores of Queensland, dives along the Great Barrier Reef, explores Kakadu National Park in the Northern Territory, and as he manfully climbs Ayers Rock. Follow him also as he hones his manly virtues on the beach, around the barbie, at the track and in the Australian Outback. Needless to say, his are feats seldom seen in these, less than manful times.

World-renowned 'tell it like it is' guidebook Discover Australia with this comprehensive, entertaining, 'tell it like it is' Rough Guide, packed with comprehensive practical information and our experts' honest and independent recommendations. Whether you plan to swim with whale sharks, explore the Atherton Tablelands or sail in the Whitsunday Islands, The Rough Guide to Australia will help you discover the best places to explore, sleep, eat, drink and shop along the way. Features of The Rough Guide to Australia: - Detailed regional coverage: provides in-depth practical information for each step of all kinds of trip, from intrepid off-the-beaten-track adventures, to chilled-out breaks in popular tourist areas. Regions covered include: Sydney and around, New South Wales and the ACT, Coastal Queensland, Outback Queensland, Northern Territory, Western Australia, South Australia, Melbourne and around, Victoria, and Tasmania. - Honest independent reviews: written with Rough Guides' trademark blend of humour, honesty and expertise, and recommendations you can truly trust, our writers will help you get the most from your trip to Australia. - Meticulous mapping: always full-colour, with clearly numbered, colour-coded keys. Find your way around Sydney, Melbourne and many more locations without needing to get online. - Fabulous full-colour photography: features a richness of inspirational colour photography, including the captivating, rugged peaks of the Flinders Ranges and the stunning blue waters (and whale sharks!) of Ningaloo Marine Park. - Things not to miss: Rough Guides' rundown of Sydney, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide's best sights and top experiences. - Itineraries: carefully planned routes will help you organise your trip, and inspire and inform your on-the-road experiences. - Basics section: packed with essential pre-departure information including getting there, getting around, accommodation, food and drink, health, the media, festivals, sports and outdoor activities, culture and etiquette, shopping and more. - Background information: comprehensive Contexts chapter provides fascinating insights into Australia, with coverage of history, religion, ethnic groups, environment, wildlife and books, plus a handy language section and glossary. - Covers: Sydney and around, New South Wales and the ACT, Coastal Queensland, Outback Queensland, Northern Territory, Western Australia, South Australia, Melbourne and around, Victoria, and Tasmania. About Rough Guides: Rough Guides have been inspiring travellers for over 35 years, with over 30 million copies sold globally. Synonymous with practical travel tips, quality writing and a trustworthy 'tell it like it is' ethos, the Rough Guides list includes more than 260 travel guides to 120+ destinations, gift-books and phrasebooks.

With fresh journalistic writing and reams of information on what to see and do, this guide takes readers from the big cities to the countryside. Includes candid reviews on restaurants and accommodations for all budgets. 83 maps. Full-color insert. Two-color throughout.

Budget travel is what BUG guides are all about - no flash hotels and fancy banquets - just the most comprehensive information on backpackers' hostels and living it up without blowing the budget.

This in-depth coverage of Australia's local attractions, history, and sites takes you to the most rewarding spots-from the wild Outback to the Sydney Opera House-and stunning color photography brings the land to life on the pages. Discover Australia's highlights, with expert advice on exploring the best sites, participating in festivals, and exploring local landmarks through extensive coverage of this fascinating island continent. Easy-to-use maps; reliable advice on how to get around; and insider reviews of the best hotels, restaurants, bars, clubs, and shops for all budgets ensure that you won't miss a thing. Make the most of your time with The Rough Guide to Australia.

The best way to understand and enjoy the richness of Australia’s historic heritage is to go out and experience it. This firsthand experience provides families with a sense of continuity to Australia’s colonial past and to experience nostalgic feelings of belonginess by following the footsteps left by earlier generations (Johnson 1980). This book was written to inform interested community members of the silent Australian history, inherent in the milestones, that still exists around us. The book catalogues many of the sandstone and concrete milestones that line the five major roads leading out of Sydney. Some milestones in rural NSW, Victoria and Tasmania are added to inform others of these precious historical monuments who are unable to view the stones in the Sydney metropolitan area. Later chapters identify the location of the remaining boundary stones in Sydney and Parramatta as well as old road alignment markers in the City of Ryde. The final chapter describes milestones that have a commemorative function. This information may be seen as only relevant to a specialist market but with the increased popularity of Australian colonial history, this book will have appeal to many Australians. The book has been written in an academic format, however the language is aimed towards families who can use each chapter to locate the remaining milestones in sequence on family outings. Other attractions near the milestone are identified which families may choose to enjoy at the same time as visiting the selected milestone. Pieces of our history are being lost but by considering these monuments, in the midst of our hectic lives, we can imagine the type of life the colonial settlers experienced. As well, visiting the milestones raises community awareness of the priceless value of these historic monuments so that important remnants of our colonial past can be preserved for our future generations. As new roads were being constructed in the colony, milestones were originally at one mile intervals. In rural areas, milestones were not usually placed for the entire distance between towns. They were usually placed a few miles on the approach and then again for a few miles after the stagecoaches left the town. Due to the loss of many original milestones, the distance between each remaining milestone can be more than one mile. An attempt has been made to make an as accurate as possible catalogue where these milestones were originally positioned with a description and photograph of those that still remain either in their original or new locations. The survey taken for this book has attempted to be thorough but we acknowledge that our survey is not complete. There are still milestones and milemarkers to be discovered. Although the milestones indicate two directions, for ease of cataloguing, the milemarkers in this book are identified by the location that they lead to away from Sydney and incorporates sandstone, concrete and timber milestones along the major roads leading out of Sydney. Photographs in this book are taken on one face only. Mileages on those remaining in their original locations have been checked for accuracy to the final destination and are still correct. The GPS for some milestones has been recorded for those who are familiar with this technology. Unless otherwise indicated, all the milestones can be found on the left hand side of the road leading towards the destination inscribed on the milestone. Safe community access to the milestones is not always possible as many existing milestones remain in their original locations on major arterial roads with limited or no safe car parking nearby. Milestones that do not have safe community access are identified. Although the milestones have been retained for community enjoyment and many have safe footpath access, extreme vigilance and caution should be exercised as there is a high risk of injury to children or pets near major arterial roads with

From the winner of the ACT Book of the year Award for his first book, The River, comes this celebration of the Australian seascape, from its natural grandeur to the quirky individualism of those who live beside it. It is also the heartfelt and pertinent story of the issues facing our coast today and the resilience of communities at a turning point. Chris Hammer travels the length of the east coast of Australia on a journey of discovery and reflection, from the Torres Strait to Tasmania; from an island whose beach has been lost forever to the humbling optimism of the survivors of Cyclone yasi; from the showy beaches of Sydney to a beautiful village that endures despite the loss of its fishing fleet. This is a relevant, satisfying and highly readable book, imbued with a sense of optimism and humour. Even as new economic imperatives emerge and the shift in our climate becomes apparent, we can revel in the heritage and character of our shores, reminding us why the coast is so important to all of us.