'Michael Veitch has long been fascinated by the islands that lie between mainland Australia and Tasmania. As a child, he was told a mysterious tale about a young man, a lighthouse and one of the islands of Bass Strait. He stored this information away, mentally filing it alongside other snippets he gleaned about the islands and the goings-on there. Years later he is reminded of this story and wonders if there is any truth to it. Then, one day, he finally has a chance to explore the islands.

'Bass Strait has over fifty cold, dark islands that are regularly pounded by atrocious weather and hardly visited. These islands are rich in atypical Australian history: sealers, shipwrecks, lighthouse keepers, feuds, Aboriginal 'resettlements', deadly encounters with nature and people who have vanished.This is the story of how he manages to get to the islands (weather/transport dependent) and what he finds when he gets there - the inhabitants, the stories, the birds and plantlife.

'On his personal odyssey (plagued at times by appalling seasickness, airsickness and stinging nettles) around these islands, Michael comes across unresolved myths and legends, beaches of incomparable beauty, magical lighthouses, and people who live truly solitary lives.

'The Forgotten Islands is an incredible, evocative read that will shine a light on this little known part of Australia and its extraordinary history.' (From the publisher's website.)