The Best Australian Sea Stories

A dazzling collection of writing about the sea - from first-hand accounts of ocean voyages to stories by Banjo Paterson and Mark Twain - from Australia's most successful Australiana author.

The deep blue sea has been an endless source of inspiration, wonder and imagination for explorers and writers alike. Australia's history and national character have been defined by the fact that we live on an isolated island continent girt by sea.

The Best Australian Sea Stories is full of fascinating history, drama, and surprise. These stories trace the maritime history of Australia from the earliest times to today. From first-hand accounts of voyages from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries to modern accounts of refugee 'boat people', the book is a dazzling compendium of the famous and obscure, the brave and the jinxed, human achievement and tragedy.

From the mystery of the mahogany ship and the Dieppe map, which point to Portuguese discovery of Australia's entire east coast in 1522, to the poignancy of Matthew Flinders' wife waiting nine years while he charted the coast of the land he named 'Australia', survived shipwrecks and became a political prisoner of the French, this book is full of amazing stories of bravery and endeavour, war and salvation.

About the Author

Before becoming a professional entertainer, songwriter, verse writer and singer in 1988, Jim Haynes taught writing, literature, history and drama in schools and universities from outback New South Wales to Britain and back again. While teaching he gained two masters degrees in literature, from New England University and the University of Wales (UK). A descendent of British immigrants who made their own sea voyage to Australia in 1929, Jim is the author of many great Australian titles including books on railways, the trucking industry, aviation and horse racing. He is one of our most successful and prolific Australiana authors.