The beauty of Australia's islands
Australia is not just an island continent; it’s a continent of over 8,000 islands—more than the entire Caribbean. We may know the history of some of our most popular islands, yet the fascinating stories of many more have yet to be told.
In this new photographic travel/history book, Islands of Australia: Travels through Time (NLA Publishing, $39.99), travel guru Tony Wheeler takes readers on a journey around the Australian coast and beyond to discover the stunning natural features, unique wildlife and chequered histories of our remarkably diverse islets, cays, atolls and archipelagos.
Packed with fascinating stories and beautiful photographs, Islands of Australia takes you on a visual journey around the coast from eco-resorts, pristine beaches and dive sites to guano mines, prisons and subantarctic volcanoes.
Readers discover why the Whitsundays should have been called the Whitmondays, encounter Australia’s only known pirate, witness mutiny and murder on the Bounty and Batavia, meet giant lizards and friendly quokkas, and discover rich Indigenous cultures.
Go behind the tourist brochures to discover our islands’ fascinating, complex and sometimes dark histories.
Whether you’re an intrepid explorer, a simple sun-seeker or an armchair tourist, Islands of Australia will have you itching to visit and discover more about our history and natural heritage.
About the Author
Tony Wheeler, co-founder of travel publisher Lonely Planet, has been described by The New York Times as ‘the trailblazing patron saint of the world’s backpackers and adventure travellers’. Since the sale of Lonely Planet, Tony has been involved with Melbourne’s Wheeler Centre for Books, Writing & Ideas, London Business School’s Wheeler Institute for Business & Development and the Planet Wheeler Foundation’s developing world projects.
Working on Lonely Planet’s assorted Australia guides has taken Tony to many of the country’s most interesting islands and this project has added a number more to his island checklist.