Hesperian Press

A Farewell to Len Hill, Canning Stock Route Drover and Kimberley Cattleman. 

By Felicity Hamlyn-Hill & Peter J. Bridge

ISBN 978-0-85905-791-2, (New, 2019), 11 pages, 40 grams, $10.00*

An outline of the life and an appreciation of Len Hill, author of Droving with Ben Taylor.

The Family Farm—Success & Succession

by Judith Stanich

ISBN 0 85905 231 1, (1995 new), Soft Cover, 113pp, illustrated, 160grams

$22.00 + POST

An essential handbook that deals with the very sensitive and taboo subject of family business succession.  The author believes she has found a way for families to deal with and resolve this issue.

Fields Gold

A story of the Yalgoo Goldfields

by Alex Palmer

ISBN 978-0-85905-464-5, (2010 R 2009, 1999, 1981), 116pp, illustrated, 160grams

$22.00 + POST

Remnants of the toil of our forebears more than a century ago can be found hidden in the undergrowth at Fields Find. This raises many questions. How was so much achieved using little more than brawn and determination, under such adverse isolation and climate conditions?

Fifty Years Afloat

by Hugh Cameron

ISBN 0 85905 213 3, (1996 New), Soft Cover, 145mm x 215mm, 198pp, illustrated, 240grams

$22.00 + POST

Fifty Years Afloat details the Rottnest and Swan River ferry boats and the men who ran them.

Hugh Cameron's interesting and well-written account of his experience in small vessels, particularly ferries in Western Australia, and on dredges in Queensland, makes a welcome addition to the published material dealing with aspects of local maritime history.

                                                                                      L. Cairns, W.A. Maritime Museum

The Western Isle (Captain Cook) is a memorial to Hugh Cameron. I admired his determination and workmanship.

                                                                                                Alan Brow, Marine Surveyor

Fighting for Life

by Judith Fitzhardinge

ISBN 0 85905 224 9, (1996 new), Soft Cover, 268pp, illustrated, 340grams

$33.00 + POST

John Fitzhardinge was in Greece and Crete with the Artillery during World War II.

He was eventually taken prisoner by the crew of an Italian submarine and incarcerated in Italy and Germany.

Fighting the Kimberley

The 3 Australian Corps Kimberley Guerilla Warfare Group, 1942-1943

by Peter J Bridge

ISBN 978-0-85905-501-7, (2012 N), 356pp, A4, 311 illusts., indexed, section sewn, soft cover, 1kg +

$60.00* + POST

See Dollypot Vol. 4 No.1 for further information (in pdf format)

The role of Major Mitchell’s 3^rd Australian Army Corps Guerilla Warfare Group, 101 Field Security, Special Duties groups, Special Independent Guerilla Warfare Company, Volunteer Defence Corps, 11 North West Battalion, and the Derby Garrison in the defence of the Kimberley and the North West.

Fighting the Kimberleys. Errata & Additions.

Peter J. Bridge.

ISBN 978-0-85905-932-9, (New 2022), A4, 15 pages, 80 grams $22.00*

Printed for permanent record. Free pdf on website. 

Finding HMAS Sydney

A Memoir

by Glenys McDonald

ISBN 978-0-85905-629-8, (2016, New), A4, illustrated, 120pp, 350grams

$30.00* + POST

The author was a key figure in the Sydney search. This is the story of the finding of the great ship and of the personal journey of the author in dealing with her husband's dementia. A very readable story from both the maritime and medical views.

THE WESTERN AUSTRALIAN EXPLORERS’ DIARIES PROJECT INC.

The Finest Goldfields in the World

The Austin Expedition to the Murchison in 1854

Edited by Peter J Bridge, Kim Epton, Marion Hercock and Sheryl Milentis, with the members of the Western Australian Explorers’ Diaries Project, and with an introduction by Professor J.M.R. Cameron.

ISBN 978-0-85905-018-0, (2009 new), casebound, dust jacketed, 240pp, illustrated, 610 grams

$80.00*+ POST

Published in association with Mark G. Creasy.

In 1854 Robert Austin led an expedition east and then north to the Murchison River. Disasters from a gun accident, poison plants, and thirst assailed them. After many tribulations they reached the Geraldine Mine on the Lower Murchison over two months later. Their exploration inspired others to prospect the desert for both grass and gold, culminating in the opening of the area in the 1880s, and the finding of rich goldfields. More than 150 years after his difficult and perilous journey Austin is now placed among the premier explorers of the Australian outback.

The First Actor on the Goldfields

by Tom Cannam

ISBN 978-0-85905-577-2, (2014, new), 15pp, SC, B5,  40g

$10.00* + POST

English actor ‘Tom Cannam’, Thomas Arthur Sowden, 1863-1940s, arrived in Australia in 1891 and soon ended up at the Coolgardie rush. A long life on the stage made him a household name between the wars. This is his autobiographical account of his travails in early Coolgardie.

Flight of Diamonds

by Major W. Tyler

ISBN 0 85905 105 6, (1987 new), 134pp, SC, illustrated 200grams

$25.00 + POST

The 1942 Japanese attack on Broome had been kept hidden by the Curtin’s wartime government. Tyler gives the first full account of the raid and of the loss of $12 million in diamonds, still unrecovered.  Copious illustrations of Japanese, Dutch, United States and Australian aircraft and personnel involved in the disaster.

Flip Side War

by Ean McDonald

ISBN 0 85905 353 9, (2005 New), soft cover, A4 175pp, illustrated, 485grams

$30* + POST

“Flip Side War is an easily read series of anecdotes covering much of World War Two in the Royal Australian Navy, being the experiences of a young man, cum sailor, cum officer caught up in that part holocaust, part puzzle and part circus. It does not set out to be strictly historical, or zealously serious, but rather records an intermixing of some of the lighter moments whilst roving many seas among some of the famous battles and campaigns.

Flying Kangaroos in the West

by Tony McGrath

ISBN 978-0-85905-781-3

WA has been well-served by two world-class international and interstate airlines since the 1930s-1940s, and Flying Kangaroos in the West provides a detailed overview of their histories in Western Australian since the beginning.

Qantas Airways is nearing its hundredth anniversary, and for most of its life has been deeply engaged with WA. Together with the former Trans-Australia Airlines (TAA) / Australian Airlines, this book describes these two 'Flying Kangaroo' carriers' collective 125+ years 'in the West'.

Qantas's engagement with WA goes right back to the first Australia-England air services in the mid-1930s. Its war commitments soon followed, evacuating civilians from Java to Broome, and undertaking rescue missions in WA's Kimberley region. It suffered tragic losses from Japanese attacks in the process. In 1943, Qantas launched the world's longest non-stop air service between Perth's Swan River and Ceylon, a covert operation that provided Australia's only wartime international air link. Perth remained at the forefront of Qantas's developments during the 1940s-50s, becoming an international gateway to exotic, new Qantas air routes to Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Europe. The book describes Qantas's continuing growth in WA right through to the present day, including the development of its sophisticated domestic network to, from and within WA, up to today's 'Project Sunrise', launching ultra-long-haul non-stop flights between Perth-London and other routes.

The former TAA / Australian Airlines was born out of the Commonwealth Government's post-war nationalisation ideology, and it quickly established itself as a highly respected, efficient airline. TAA introduced a motivated and engaged workforce and the 'Fly TAA The Friendly Way' service ethos. But most importantly, it offered Western Australians competition on interstate and intrastate air routes.

How to buy:

Contact the author at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 0417 134 458 or buy online at www.tony-mcgrath.com

Sample page images on the website

RRP $29.95

For Those Who Remembered Bob True

A History of Whitfords Reward, Gregory Hills

by Peter J. Bridge with Ian Murray

ISBN 0 85905 413 6, (2007 New, e-published 2006, in the Dollypot, Greenhide and Spindrift column Vol.1 No.6.), 20 pp, saddle, Soft Cover, A4, 95 grams

$15.00*+ POST

Bob True was buried in a lonely grave at Lake Wells in 1906 by his prospecting mates.

Sand and Stone – Foreign Footprints

Police in the Kimberley 1880–1890s

by  Kevin Moran

ISBN 978‑0‑85905‑447‑8, (2009), fully indexed, A4, Soft Cover, 271pp, 735grams

$40.00*+ POST

The author retired from the West Australian Police Force as Superintendent in 1994 when acting Chief Superintendent Perth Region.

Following on from his earlier Sand and Stone volumes, the author has systematically combed the police files to uncover these Kimberley stories. They are absolutely essential for all interested in the area. This is the first of 3 volumes on the Kimberley.

Forestry through the Fifties. A young forestry officer’s journey with the Western Australian Forests Department.

By Kevin Coate.

[ISBN 978-0-85905-977-3], (New, 2021). 175 x 250, 262 pages, heavily illustrated, indexed, 730 grams, $50.00*

This interesting book provides a fascinating insight into how an aspiring young forest officer gained knowledge and skills through practical experience, working and camping in the bush.

Kevin Coate started work in 1951 at Margaret River and was stationed at settlements from Mundaring Weir in the north to Walpole in the south.

It was an era when steam powered timber mills still operated and power saws had just begun to take over from axes and crosscut saws.

A gem for all interested in the forests and the south west.

This book was published without any input from shire, company or state coffers. Nevertheless it outshines any literary eructations from those structures.

The Forgotten Explorers:

pioneer geologists of Western Australia, 1826 – 1926

by John Glover with Jenny Bevan

ISBN 978-0-85905-473-7, (2010 N), 246pp, 240 x 160, illustrated, 700 grams

$40.00* + POST

Who were the great Australian explorers?

Most people immediately think of men like Burke and Wills, Giles, Sturt, Grey, Stuart, Leichhardt, Kennedy and Eyre: and it is true that, besides their achievements, all of these suffered great hardships, and some perished, mak­ing them more memorable historically.

Frank Hann’s Lolworth Diaries 1866-1875

Transcribed and edited by Ian Elliot

ISBN 978-0-85905-547-5, (2013, New), A4, illustd., 192pp, 515 grams

$50.00* + POST

The long awaited precursor to Do Not Yield to Despair. Frank Hann’s early days in North Queensland. Annotated and indexed. Cattle Cape mining, characters, conflict, social and family life. Essential for any work on the period in N. Q.

Fred McGill: An Ambiguous Aboriginal

Ed. by Peter J. Bridge

ISBN 978-0-85905-679-3, (New 2017), A5, softcover, 34pages, 50 grams

$10.00* + POST

The life of Fred, a Noongar among the easterner Mirning. Fred was a hit man for settlement to the east and took part in Russell’s 1897 expedition. His story in his own words. Fred died in 1909. Published 28 Sept 2017.

From Wales to Gwalia

A Swansea editor and his Australian goldmine

by Alwyn Evans

ISBN 978-0-85905-630-4, (2016, New), A4, heavily illustrated – b&w and colour, well referenced and indexed, 184pp, 515 grams

$50.00* + POST

A long awaited history of the Sons of Gwalia goldmine at Leonora. Assiduous research into the Welsh and Australian origins of this famous mine by Alwyn Evans for a thesis, now modified for general reading has resulted in an essential reference for any and all interested in WA mining history. An appendix on the exaggerated role of Hoover is of interest as an independent analysis divorced from the adulatory propaganda.