Hesperian Press

15 October 2011

Nullarbor Biographical Survey.

This project is to cover details of all those who worked on, wrote about, explored and travelled the Western Nullarbor.

Explorers, aborigines, surveyors, pastoralists, rail and highway workers, pastoral workers, miners, kangaroo and rabbit shooters, scientists - biologists and geologists, cavers, roadhouse owners, soldiers, POWs and anyone else of interest to the Nullarbor.

While rail workers on the Trans are of interest, most itinerant workers at roadhouses are of minimal interest.

The first stage is the preparation of a name and subject list by interested compilers. That will be followed by the writing of biographical notes and references.

The project will be supervised by Peter Bridge of Hesperian Press in conjunction with those who are interested and willing to contribute. It is expected that publication will be out by 2014 at the latest.

This is the first call for interested persons to indicate their wish to be involved at any level, from observer to biographer. This is not some abstruse academic compilation but will be a record of those who made the country, and a very readable book. We are interested in all entries, on all sorts of people, whether your submissions are like Henry Lawson's "thumbnail dipped in tar" or a literary offering. The former are the most important to us as they represent the experiences of the otherwise unrecorded people.

The recent "The Overlanders - crossing the Nullarbor 1870s -1970s" is the first of a trilogy. Second is this Biographical index, third is the history of the Western Nullarbor.

Further updates will appear on the Hesperian website or call at Hesperian Press office.

Peter Bridge