The Watertower

A new release of an Australian classic, this 1995 CBCA award-winning graphic picture book by Gary Crew and Steven Woolman is an atmospheric and thought-provoking exploration of rural life and the impact of technology.

Nobody in Preston could remember when the watertower was built, or who had built it, but there it stood . . . casting a long, dark shadow across the valley, across Preston itself.

A 2024 Hans Christian Andersen Jury Recommends Title

The Children's Book Council of Australia 1995 Picture Book of the Year

About the Illustrator

Julian Laffan is an artist, educator and curator. Julian graduated from the School of Art at the Australian National University in Canberra. He is currently a picture book judge for the Children's Book Council of Australia. He specialises in contemporary woodcuts and drawings, using these mediums to create sculptural objects and works on paper that explore themes of history and identity. Julian has produced a series of exhibitions that developed mentorship partnerships between emerging and established artists from across Australia. He is a member of The Culture Kitchen, a Canberra-based cross-cultural collaborative print group. He has worked on inter-cultural print based projects in East Timor, Indonesia and on the Thai-Burma border. His works are in the collection of the Australian Print Council, Canberra Museum and Gallery, and significant private collections.

Julian is a primary school teacher, living with Natasha and their son in Braidwood, New South Wales. He draws and sketches and takes background photographs that form a basis for the woodcuts that accompany this monograph. Julian is passionate about children becoming literate through great books, integrating with the importance of the arts.