Great Australian

How an ancient land became a great democracy. Longlisted for Best Non Fiction in the Indie Book Awards 2026 'Tony Abbott should be congratulated ... This history of Australia is vivid, readable, provocative' Geoffrey Blainey, historian 'I think it's very good' Tom Holland, historian Australia is...

How an ancient land became a great democracy. Longlisted for Best Non Fiction in the Indie Book Awards 2026 'Tony Abbott should be congratulated ... This history of Australia is vivid, readable, provocative' Geoffrey Blainey, historian 'I think it's very good' Tom Holland, historian Australia is...

From the annals of the RSL come these riveting true stories, written by a host of ordinary Australians - Diggers, POWs, nurses, entertainers, sailors, airman and many more - that capture the impact of war on those who took part. With eyewitness accounts ranging from the Fall of Singapore to the Kokoda Track and from Europe to the Middle East, these stories bring the Australian experience of the Second World War to life with humour, pathos and vivid detail.

“Enticing.” —The New York Times A young woman with a mysterious past searches for her father—who has committed an unspeakable crime—in an exquisitely lush historical novel set among the champagne vines of 19th-century Australia. Van Diemen’s Land, 1839. A young woman of means arrives...

IT BEGAN WITH SIX STONES . . . From the deserts of Israel to the tsunami-lashed coasts of Japan, from the steppes of Mongolia to the most mysterious island on Earth—this is what we have come to expect from Matthew Reilly: stupendous action, white-knuckle suspense, heroes to cheer for, and an...

I tell you, you meet some strange characters in this game.... Boasting the biggest beats in the world - some as large as France - Australia's outback police have seen it all: natural disasters, incredible acts of selflessness, unspeakable crimes and daring rescues, just to name a few. And they've met some unforgettable characters along the way: from the murderer who stuffed his victims' bodies down wombat holes to the policeman who arrested his own wife....

Journey through tales of hardy truckers braving isolation, mechanical mishaps and political battles. Navigate the high seas with our first submariners' record-breaking journeys and daring rescues. Relive the golden age of rail with evocative stories celebrating Australia's railway heritage, from Mark Twain Down Under to Ben Chifley's locomotive legacy. Soar through the skies with aviation legends such as Smithy, Bert Hinkler and Francis Birtles, whose courage and innovation transformed how we travel.

After I'd got him out of harm's way, I dived back in yet again and swam out past the surf-break, out to where the other two lads were floundering. Then, one at a time, I took them back onto the rocks – all done against the raging rip and wild surf. By then an hour or so had passed. Still, severe cuts, bruises and abrasions aside, I'd successfully saved the lives of the four young people who, in all probability, would've otherwise drowned.

The devastating 2019-2020 Black Summer bushfires threw the importance of our volunteer firefighters into sharp focus. But these brave men and women don't just step up to protect life and property in fires; they are also there to help in road accidents, plane crashes, natural disasters like cyclones and floods - and, yes, they even rescue pets that have got themselves into strife. This audiobook serves as a tribute to the thousands of volunteer firies across Australia who roll up their sleeves and selflessly put their lives on the line to assist their fellow human beings.

Should he be hanged or transported? The Artful Dodger is the best pick-pocket in England, a one-person crime wave. Although only a child, he seems certain to face the noose. But, to everyone’s surprise but his own, he escapes this fate and is transported to Australia. There he falls prey to Fred Crimp, a disfigured and vicious criminal who Dodger thinks vaguely familiar. His quick wits save him, and life begins to look better as he discovers there are easier ways to get rich than by picking pockets. But back in London, the peril becomes more deadly and his life at risk. In order to elude ...

The thrilling true tale of Australia's greatest victory in our longest war. The explosive history of the Commandos and the SAS, and Ben Roberts-Smith's VC. The SAS, THE COMMANDOS AND THE MAKING OF A VICTORIA CROSS 'The corporal made a decision that turned him into the most-famous Australian...

Australia's greatest escape stories from two world wars Australia’s Greatest Escapes is a collection of stories about the most hazardous aspect of the prisoner of war experience – escape. Here is all the adventure, suspense and courage of ordinary Australians who defied their captors; men...

From the bravery of Australia's sailors to the great age of rail, the resilience of the truckers crossing the Nullarbor to the daring aviation pioneers who turned the skies into a new frontier, Great Australian Odysseys is a rich tapestry of adventure and ingenuity, with a good dose of Aussie laughs. Journey through tales of hardy truckers braving isolation, mechanical mishaps and political battles. Navigate the high seas with our first submariners' record-breaking journeys and daring rescues...

Yarns and memories that capture the experience of driving Australia’s outback roads, gathered by the inimitable Bill ‘Swampy’ Marsh. Whether they’re carting produce, stock, fuel or even (unbeknown to them) dead bodies, there’s one thing that can be said about outback truckies - they’re a colourful bunch. Meet the outback truckies who brave interminable distances, searing heat, raging floodwaters and foot-deep bulldust to transport goods and livestock all across this vast land, serving as lifelines not just to those in the bush but to those in cities as well.

Australia has always been a land of mysteries. Some are ancient, some are historical and many continue to perplex us today—and will probably continue to do so tomorrow. More often than most of us would like to think, things simply vanish and people disappear without explanation, leaving a trail of heartbreak across generations. Australia also has its fair share of buried loot and fabulous riches gone missing—somewhere. Master storyteller Graham Seal has gathered mysteries from around Australia.

Criminality, some say, is part of Australia's national identity, and in Great Australian Rascals, Rogues and Ratbags Jim Haynes profiles 15 larger-than-life Aussie rogues. These stories uncover the truth and expose the myths about characters ranging from the most despicable examples of humanity, to those whose courage has to be admired and whose so-called 'crimes' were unjustly punished. Told with Haynes's inimitable combination of history and humour, Great Australian Rascals, Rogues and Ratbags is packed with murders, mystery and miscreants.

Updated in 2026. Global Revival – Worldwide Outpourings documents forty-three visitations of the Holy Spirit and includes revivals in Asia, Africa, Europe, North & South America, Australia and Oceania. Global Revival spans four centuries and features revivals from thirty countries, from Argentina to Australia, Estonia to Eritrea and Jamaica to Japan. Discover some of the greatest revivals from around the globe that you’ve probably never heard of, from Canada to China and from to Egypt to Zimbabwe. Learn about the amazing outpourings that have taken place around the world in our lifetime...

The extraordinary, must-read story of the brave, bold Hubert Wilkins - Australia's most adventurous explorer, naturalist, photographer, war hero, aviator, spy and daredevil - brought to life by Australia's greatest storyteller. Sir Hubert Wilkins is one of the most remarkable Australians who...

This photo-based tour includes over 125 pictures from interesting and historical locations around Australia and New Zealand with short background histories / information. Featured locations include: the Sydney Opera House, the Sydney Harbor Bridge, St. Mary's Cathedral, Supreme Court of New South Wales, Katoomba Scenic World, The Blue Mountains (including the Three Sisters), Featherdale Wildlife Park, the Eureka Skydeck Tower, the Koala Sanctuary and Penguin Parade, the Great Barrier Reef, Hobbiton (the location where the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit movies were filmed), the Waitomo ...

On the afternoon of 8 April 1802, in the remote southern ocean, two explorers had a remarkable chance encounter. Englishman Matthew Flinders and Frenchman Nicolas Baudin had been sent by their governments on the same quest: to explore the uncharted coast of the great south land and find out whether the west and east coasts, four thousand kilometres apart, were part of the same island. And so began the race to compile the definitive map of Australia.