About

Each volume of Western Australia Exploration comprises exact transcriptions of explorers’ diaries or journals and covers a range of years depending on the amount of exploration in the period and the length of each report or diary.

Preceding each diary is the name of the diarist, the names of the expedition members, the source references and other information.  Interspersed among the diaries in each volume is a great variety of maps, illustrations and photographs. Supplementary information relevant to the time (mode of transport, navigation, firearms, flora, fauna) is included in the Appendices.

The transcript of each diary has been taken from source documents, ensuring accuracy and validity.

The first volume covers exploration from the time of first settlement in Western Australia at King Georges Sound in 1826 through to 1835.  Coupled with the next volume, 1836-1845, they cover the initial exploration in the Swan River Colony, driven by the settlers' need for agricultural land and the desire to find out what was around them.

Subsequent volumes will record the unveiling of the rich agricultural lands to the north, south and south east of Perth, the push into the Pilbara and the search for pastoral land to the east of the settled districts.  The exploration of the Kimberley, the epic desert journeys and the discovery of goldfields follow.  Exploration by horse, by camel and by motor vehicle continued until well into the 20th century.  Where an individual exploration has missed been recorded it will be published in the next volume. The diaries do not cover the exploration of caves.

As part of the series but discrete in themselves will be the journals of major expeditions (Austin, Hill, Roe, Michael Terry, Basedow, G.F. Moore and more).

These quality works are part of an ongoing series on the exploration of Western Australia extending into the modern era.