A Shorter History of AustraliaAfter a lifetime of research and debate on Australian and international history, Geoffrey Blainey is well-placed to introduce us to the people who have played a part and to guide us through the events which have created the Australian identity--the mania for spectator sport, the suspicion of the tall poppy, the rivalries of Catholic and Protestant, Sydney and Melbourne, new and old homelands, the conflicts of war abroad and race at home, the importance of technology, the recognition of the Australian Aboriginal past and Native Title, the successes and failures of the nation. He has described significant events and trends of the early-20th century. A final chapter boldly asked: what made Australia's history so distinctive? He shows two decisive factors--distance and climate--weaving in and out, again and again, over 50,000 years. |
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Page 22
... sailing to Australia with the north - west monsoon and usually making the voyage of 2,000 kilometres in a couple of weeks . On stretches of coast often settled closely by Aborigines , these fishermen caught the trepang or sea - slug in ...
... sailing to Australia with the north - west monsoon and usually making the voyage of 2,000 kilometres in a couple of weeks . On stretches of coast often settled closely by Aborigines , these fishermen caught the trepang or sea - slug in ...
Page 25
... , and the occasional ship sailing to and from Timor must have been driven by the north - west monsoons to within sight of islands or coastline in north-west Australia. Probably they found nothing worth finding. About a 25 A poor paradise.
... , and the occasional ship sailing to and from Timor must have been driven by the north - west monsoons to within sight of islands or coastline in north-west Australia. Probably they found nothing worth finding. About a 25 A poor paradise.
Page 26
... sailors saw parts of the same coast and nervously watched the white of the waves beating on half-submerged rocks ... sailing ships. The strait at the north-easterly point of the Australian continent thus has a Spanish name, Torres ...
... sailors saw parts of the same coast and nervously watched the white of the waves beating on half-submerged rocks ... sailing ships. The strait at the north-easterly point of the Australian continent thus has a Spanish name, Torres ...
Page 27
... sail along that entire east coast . He had begun his voyage from England in 1768 with orders that , in aim , were ... Sailing into Botany Bay , close to where Sydney's airport now stands , he was pleased with what he saw : the climate ...
... sail along that entire east coast . He had begun his voyage from England in 1768 with orders that , in aim , were ... Sailing into Botany Bay , close to where Sydney's airport now stands , he was pleased with what he saw : the climate ...
Page 28
... sail north to China to take on boxes of tea as cargo for the return voyage to England . In such a rich soil , blessed by such a fine climate , the convicts would surely grow more than enough to feed themselves . In short , Botany Bay ...
... sail north to China to take on boxes of tea as cargo for the return voyage to England . In such a rich soil , blessed by such a fine climate , the convicts would surely grow more than enough to feed themselves . In short , Botany Bay ...
Contents
3 | |
17 | |
25 | |
Arabs of the grasslands | 39 |
The fading of the yellow flannel | 53 |
Part Two The Land I Love | 69 |
The first gold rushes | 71 |
The age of the marvellous | 88 |
The war to end war | 169 |
What an unlimited future | 183 |
A tidal wave from Japan | 203 |
A car and a mountain | 217 |
Black and green resurrection | 243 |
A nation on walkabout | 258 |
the Queen and Mr Mabo | 271 |
The vast open spaces | 284 |
Eyes | 111 |
The rise of the sporting hero | 122 |
Riding the disaster | 133 |
The flush of violet | 143 |
Part Three From Gallipoli to Uluru | 167 |
Sails and anchors | 295 |
A short chronicle of Australian history | 305 |
Further reading | 310 |
Index | 314 |
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Common terms and phrases
Aborigines Adelaide arrived Asia Asian Ballarat banks became become began Ben Chifley Botany Bay Brisbane Britain British Isles Broken Hill Canberra century Chifley Chinese church cities climate coast colony Commonwealth continent convicts culture decade drought early economic election England English Europe European exports factories farmers farms favoured federal fighting Gallipoli gold rushes goldfields Guinea Harbour horses immigration Indonesia islands Japan Japanese Kalgoorlie kilometres Labor Party land later leaders living London Melbourne Menzies migrants million minerals mining nation Northern Territory numbers outback overseas parliament Paul Keating perhaps Perth political politicians population port prime minister Queensland railways River rural sailing seen settlers sheep ships soldiers South Australia South Wales sport steam Sydney Tasmania thousands town tropical vast Victoria Vietnam vote Western Australia White Australia Policy women wool young Zealand