Australia Unlimited
Melbourne, George Robertson and Company Propy. Ltd., [1918] (see page 1075 in passing).
Large quarto, [iv], 1084, lvi pages with copious illustrations (from photographs) plus decorated endpapers by Christian Yandell (credited, along with Walter Seed, with the 'title designs, end-papers, and decorations').
Tan cloth decorated and lettered in gilt and ruled in blind; cloth sunned on the spine and unevenly faded on the sides, and a little rubbed and bumped at the extremities; with the spine sunned; edges foxed; a very good copy (internally excellent).
Edwin James Brady (1869-1952), journalist and writer, uses the introduction to this work to introduce himself as much as anything: 'My work on "Australia Unlimited" began definitely with the year 1912.... I had spent many years in the bush, where I was cradled and reared. I had driven a covered waggonette from Parramatta to Townsville, and taken a motor boat down the Murray from Albury to Lake Alexandrina, establishing a world's record for internal combustion engine over river distance'. It some ways it is much more informative (although less self-promotional) than his entry in the 'Australian Dictionary of Biography'. That account has this to say about the year before work on this magnum opus commenced. '1911 was a prolific year for Brady: he published an account of his wagon trip as "The King's Caravan" (London); a book, "River Rovers" (Melbourne), about a trip in an open boat down the Murray from Albury; another volume of collected verse, "Bells and Hobbles" (Melbourne); and "Tom Padgin, Pirate" (Sydney), illustrated by Lionel Lindsay. Next year he visited parts of south-east Asia, and soon after set up camp at Mallacoota, Victoria, to write free of distractions. His only very profitable book was "Australia Unlimited" (Melbourne, 1918), a comprehensive survey of Australia's primary industries. Brady spent the rest of his life at Mallacoota, with intervals in Melbourne. His interests were wide-ranging' (we'll leave you to pursue the rest of his entertaining life in the 'Australian Dictionary of Biography'). This book runs the risk of being underrated, or even dismissed, as a period coffee-table book. It has lasting value for at last one major section, 'The Australian Pastoral Industry' (pages 869-1084), subtitled 'and Some of its Leading Spirits'. Over 200 pages are devoted to some 36 pastoral pioneers and their properties: McCaughey, Mitchell, Austin, Simpson, Sanger, White, Dangar, Campbell, Cotton, Jowett, McBride, Dutton, Kidman, Keynes, Duffield, the Hawkers, and the Downies.
Item #121078
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