Australia: The Complete Encyclopedia [Hardcover]

Mary Halbmeyer (Editor), Peter Cosgrove (Introduction), Pat O'Shane (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2001

Australia presents the story of a land, its people and places, with a breadth of subject matter never before published in a single volume.

Australia is one of the oldest continents on Earth and its original inhabitants, the Aborigines, the most ancient continuous culture known. Its history is monumental and its culture rapidly evolving. The natural wonders of this land are recognised the world over. This book also explores what Australia has become through the sciences, politics, history, arts, media and people.

The other unique feature of this book is its detailed description of the cities and towns, spectacular national parks, wineries and tourist destinations across Australia. Place entries are keyed to the detailed road maps that cover the whole country. Coverage extends from the capital cities to the small and charming country towns; to spectacular, rugged destinations that can only be reached by 4WD; and activities such as fishing and vineyard touring.

Sections include:

The Story of Australia (248 pages)

• Geology, climate and geography
• Indigenous Art and Culture
• Flora
• History Since 1788
• Government
• Sports
• Media and the Arts
• Architecture
• Science and Medicine
• Fauna
• Economy
• Culture and Society
• Indigenous History

Places in Australia (553 pages)

• Victoria
• New South Wales
• Australian Capital Territory
• Queensland
• The Northern Territory
• Western Australia
• South Australia
• Tasmania

This beautifully produced volume with stunning color photography and detailed cartography is for anyone who wants to know more about this amazing country, its landscape, people, culture and what to see and do when traveling there.

The CD-ROM contains all the information in the book, plus additional information on trips: for four-wheel-drives, fishing and to national parks. As well there are approximately 500 extra photos on the CD-ROM.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

There is no shortage of print dedicated to Australia, especially with the flood of travel books and photo albums prompted by the 2001 Olympics in Sydney. This comprehensive encyclopedia expands on that material while staying fresh and energetic in its presentation. Edited by Australian-based academics, with additional writing by local journalists, this friendly and accessible volume covers everything from the country's geology and early settlement to colonization and contemporary society. Some 2000 color photographs display the natural beauty and dynamic people of the continent. Excellent road maps, a handy key to them, and two indexes (one that is general and one to places) solidify the volume's reference value. An accompanying CD-ROM, geared toward those researching a trip to Australia, covers general history and geography, as well as four-wheel drive trails, the wine regions, and places to fish. The live URLs are very helpful, but, unfortunately, the CD-ROM's low-contrast white print on a black background strains the eyes. This volume is distinguished from other general encyclopedias on Australia, specifically Susan Bambrick's more academic Cambridge Encyclopedia of Australia (1994), by its incredible visual representation and comparatively popular and more up-to-date coverage. James Jupp's more focused The Australian People: An Encyclopedia of the Nation, Its People, and Their Origins, also from Cambridge, will be published in February 2002. Firefly's broad reference is a good supplement to Bambrick's for large public libraries in search of the latest on Australia. Rebecca Miller, "Library Journal"

Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

This book is a very colorful, fast-paced guide to all that is Australia. The first part covers general topics--natural history, human history, government, and culture. Sections on the Aboriginal population and on Australian-claimed Antarctica are particularly well put together. Extensive photographs make turning the pages an adventure. Although the chapters are not very in-depth, there is enough information to satisfy most readers.

The second part is divided into chapters on each of the states and territories that make up Australia. Each chapter has a wonderful group of maps so that locating the many described places is quite easy. Descriptions of national parks, wineries, and off-road trips make the encyclopedia useful for travel collections. Though the mainland Northern Territory is included, no mention is made of external territories that Australia governs, such as Norfolk or Christmas Island.

In addition to a subject index, there is a gazetteer to locate the numerous towns and villages discussed in the text. The lack of bibliography or references and of attribution of text to authors is a shortcoming. Not as academic or far-reaching as The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Australia (1994), Australia: The Complete Encyclopedia serves as a very good introductory geographic encyclopedia. RBB
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 912 pages
• Publisher: Firefly Books (September 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1552975436
• ISBN-13: 978-1552975435
• Product Dimensions: 14.2 x 9.9 x 2.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.5 pounds
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,473,023 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)