AustLit

'Set in Central Australia, The Two Lost Children traces an episode in the lives of two Aboriginal children, one where they play, become lost, and with the help of surrounding creatures, are found. The story line provides accurate information about Aboriginal children's imaginative play and incorporates Aboriginal stories told to them. There are two levels of information in the book. First, the children's story, and at the back of a book, a detailed description of how to avoid becoming lost in the Australian bush, written for older readers.'  (Publication summary)

'At a time when Australia's iconic koala is threatened by devastating fires and human-generated loss of habitat, this fascinating story of how koala came to be brought to life through Reggie Sultan's unique artistic imagination – is a must for all children to enjoy.'  (Publication summary)

'Drysdale River National Park is a remote wilderness area of rugged natural bushland, well-watered by numerous creeks and the permanent waters of the Drysdale River, located in Western Australia's far north. It has no marked access roads, walking tracks, signage or facilities of any kind. Visitors must be entirely self-sufficient, and travel within the Park is limited to hiking and canoeing.Amongst its rocky cliffs, gorges and eroded quartzite blocks are numerous overhangs and shelters adorned with Aboriginal cave paintings produced over tens of thousands of years. This art includes some of the best preserved, most spectacular Aboriginal rock art to be found in Australia. The earliest paintings and rock markings, created during an Archaic Period, include depictions of the Tasmanian tiger and Tasmanian devil, now extinct on mainland Australia. Later artists portrayed people wearing elaborate ceremonial costume, described as Tasselled Figures, Bent Knee Figures and Straight Part Figures. Other human figures are engaged in running, hunting and camping scenes. Art styles evolved from curvaceous naturalistic figures to more rigid forms. Then, over the past 6,000 years, they became simplified during the Painted Hand Period, and changed again with the development of the Wandjina Period.' (Source: On-line)

'Ubirr and Nourlangie are two outstanding rock outliers adorned with Aboriginal Paintings, lying on plains beside the East Alligator River and the Arnhem Land Escarpment in Kakadu National Park in northern Australia.Dreaming paths of the Rainbow Serpent, the Lightning Man, the Cockatoo Lady, and Warramurrunundji the Earth Mother all pass through the region and are important Ancestral Beings for local Aboriginal people. For thousands of years Aborigines recorded important ceremonies, deities and totemic plants and animals by painting their images in the rock shelters, cliffs and overhangs of the region. Artistic styles have evolved over time, from naturalistic forms to the intellectual X-ray style, where the internal anatomy of the subject is portrayed. Aboriginal Paintings at Ubirr and Nourlangie provides a guide to the art sites open to the public, explaining their significance for Aboriginal people, both past and present.' (Source: On-line)

'Paintings at Munurru span thousands of years, with depictions of plants from the earliest Archiac Period, people dressed up for ceremony (Tasslede Figures, Bent Knee Figures and Straight Part figures), thylacines (Tasmanian tigers, extinct on mainland Australia for 3,000 years) from the Painted Hand Period, and three panels of brightly coloured Wandjina, the god-like ancestors who bring each wet season's rains. Munurru contains the most visited painting sites in the Kimberley, and this book should assist with an understanding and appreciation of this early Australian art'. (Source: Front cover)

'Born and raised in Sydney, Dick Dakeyne, survived 48 missions and 500 hours flying over Japanese enemy territory during World War Two, both as a gunner and radar countermeasures operator. Most of his service was spent living and flying with US Army Air Force bomb squadrons based at Fenton airstrip 140 kilometers south of Darwin in the Northern Territory of Australia. Dick's account describes living with the Americans and flying in B-24 Liberator long-range heavy bombers, on record-breaking missions lasting 16 hours. Death surrounded him, with the loss of fellow servicemen from Japanese ack-ack (anti-aircraft) guns, machine gun fire from enemy planes, and bombing raids on northern Australia. Aircraft were lost from the hazards of flying vast distances over empty oceans, through tropical storms and into massive weather fronts.For his military service and bravery, Dick was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) from Australia. The United States also offered him one of their highest awards, the Medal of Freedom. However, the Australian Government's policy at the time barred Australians from receiving this American award, and on Dick's behalf, refused acceptance.' (Source: Google Books)

'In documenting his life and art, Reggie Sultan provides a unique window of insight for the reader to clearly grasp the concepts and nuances found in Central Australian Aboriginal art.

From a Kaititja (Barrow Creek area) Aboriginal mother and an Afghan father he grew up to be a successful Aboriginal artist, painting in both the landscape style with watercolours and the non-figurative traditional Central Australian Aboriginal art style, where he employs either a dot background or his unique speckled background.

After running away and stealing cars, Reggie Sultan was described by Welfare Officers as “an uncontrollable child.” Reggie tells his story of being sent to boys’ homes in Sydney, Adelaide and Darwin, of his escapes, being sent to gaol, his work as a stockman, and his development as an Aboriginal artist.' (Source: back cover)

'Spencer's 1912 diary notes and photographs of Aboriginal life in the Kakadu region, Northern Territory of Australia. With rock art by Kakadu people and their ancestors' (Source: cover).

'The true story of James Morrill, shipwrecked in 1846 off the north-east Australia coast before it was colonised. With historic photos of the region by Eric Mjoberg, 1918.' (Source: Cover)