Halstead Press is excited to announce that La Trobe: Traveller, Writer Governor, by John Barnes, has won best History Publication in the Victorian Community History Awards. John Barnes uncovers the man behind the public name, as not only an important colonial figure but an author and artist. Tracing his globetrotting early years and struggles as Governor in Victoria during the gold…

Os aboard Endeavour by Stan Stefaniak FASMA, President, The Australian Society of Marine Artists Oswald (Os) Longfield Brett, 1921–2017 Born 3 April 1921 in Cheltenham, New South Wales, Oswald Longfield Brett spent much time sketching ships in Sydney Harbour and imagining the day when he could go to sea. He also drew inspiration for painting from his mother Estelle Brett (née…

A second glance at Graham Downie's Servants and Leaders, with George Pell back in the country to face the music In my first interview with him, on 10 May 2001, George Pell seemed to make every effort to sound gentle and caring, but the constraints of his understanding of his Church’s teaching made that task almost impossible —Graham Downie (more…)

Charles Joseph La Trobe, from wherever he now watches, should be eternally grateful that John Barnes chose to be his biographer. —Dr Andrew Lemon, former President of the Royal Historical Society of Victoria (more…)

The transportation of thousands of men from Irish hulks to New South Wales is so crucial in the history of Ireland, Australia and the British Empire that you wonder why we’ve waited so long for the whole story of it. It illuminates much that has happened since in Australia and Ireland, as well as the mistakes, the successes and the…

a perfect gift for those about to go caravanning around Australia —Linda Ross, Talking Lifestyle Across Australia, bandstands, rotundas and pavilions showcase the history and character of big cities and tiny townships. They are a testament to boom times, when gold called people from afar to share the spoils, and also to times of woe, built as monuments to the…

  She has forced us to re-examine in some detail a largely forgotten figure in Australian art. For this we must be grateful. —Sasha Grishin (more…)

The Flag's Up by Peter Poland In the early days of the colony, ships from Russia, France, America and Spain anchored alongside British convict vessels in Sydney’s renowned harbour. Many famous figures sailed through the heads, such as Bligh, Bennelong, Flinders and Macquarie. The South Head Lookout Post which recorded these arrivals and departures has been manned since January 1790,…

The scale of the human tragedy there, especially with so many children killed, was almost beyond belief. – ABC’s Papua New Guinea correspondent Sean Dorney   In the years before the Boxing Day Tsunami wrought havoc across the Indian ocean, and Fukushima was demolished by enormous waves, Australia was alerted to these dangers by a disaster closer to home. (more…)