Michael, Brian and Yuri are pleased to announce that Book 8 in 'The Gardens of Stone and beyond' series will be released on 9 September 2016. You can order your copy now and it will be shipped to you on release.
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It is now 10 years since Michael Keats and Brian Fox, and more recently joined by Yuri Bolotin, embarked on an ambitious plan to explore and document The Gardens of Stone National Park and adjoining areas. This project has involved documenting all aspects of a little known or appreciated area, from the geology, the climate, the fauna and flora, Aboriginal occupation and early European settlement and record these findings via a series of books. Each book has a major theme and also includes a selection of relevant bushwalks. To date seven of a planned nine books have been published. The area of detailed exploration and research encompasses the gazetted Gardens of Stone National Park, the northern part of the Blue Mountains National Park and the western side of the Wollemi National Park. This area is so vast that nine topographical 1:25000 maps are required. Between the three of us more than 3000 bushwalks have been undertaken and still there is more to explore. A significant part of this undertaking has been to research and record all geographical names. The major theme of Book 5, is Place Names. For each entry we have recorded the name, the origin, location, description and GPS coordinates. Since the publication of this book, research has continued, generating many new names to the point where it was deemed another approach was needed to further publicise both approved and new names to a wider audience. The concept of the Bush Explorers Encyclopaedia was born of this need....
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Book 7 in the series, The Gardens of Stone National Park and beyond, is principally about the last three centuries of European occupation of the area. It includes stories of such iconic engineering feats as the Wolgan Valley Railway, The Newnes Industrial Complex as well as follies such as the proposed Wollemi International Airport and a 6000MW power station at Birds Rock. Previously unpublished historic photos are included together with interviews involving descendants of some of those men and women whose parents and grandparents were directly involved. It is a book of contemporary history, warts and all. One of the most amazing stories is that of the construction of the dam on the Bungleboori Creek. Although very much of our recent past, the pictures tell stories about changes to Work Place Safety while at the same time revealing just how much our lauded, second to none, pioneering resilience has been lost. Perhaps the greatest challenge documented in the book is the story of the telephone services that connected Newnes to the outside world. Michael, Brian and Yuri, along with bushwalking colleagues walked many tens of kilometres following residual evidence of the original poles and wires that have survived the depredations of bushfires, storms and souvenir hunters. There are also many great walks, principally along the southern escarpment of the Newnes Plateau from the Darling Causeway to Hassans Walls. The case for the entire escarpment with its rich natural, Aboriginal and European heritage should to be declared a national park as...
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Michael, Brian and Yuri are pleased to announce that Book 7 in 'The Gardens of Stone and beyond' series is available from 12 February 2016. You can buy The Gardens of Stone - Book 7 from Retail Outlets or direct from the Bush Explorers.
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Bush Explorer Brian Fox, met with Greg Windsor, President of Place Names Australia on 4th February 2016. The meeting was productive and Place Names Australia will be publishing information from Bush Explorers, Michael, Brian and Yuri. Names coined by Bush Explorers will be added to the Australian Place Names Survey. There has also been a change in policy so that no longer does a name have to be on a topographic map to be recognised on the NSW Geographic Names Board (GNB) register. Any recognised map or publication can be now used to authenticate a name to be proposed for approval. Because of Brian’s life time experience as a cartographer, and his familiarity with GNB protocols, names denominated by Bush Explorers as much as possible comply with the revised requirements.
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Michael Keats has been awarded the Medal (OAM) in the General Division of the Order of Australia on Australia Day 2016. Michael received his OAM for service to bushwalking, and as an author.
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Bushwalkers and authors, Michael Keats, Brian and Fox Yuri Bolotin are proud to announce the impending release of Book 7 of the series of 9 Books on The Gardens of Stone National Park and beyond. Copies should be available in early February 2016. The price is unchanged at $50.00 delivered anywhere in Australia. Book 7 includes a distillation of three centuries of European settlement in the area, told in 25 authenticated essays. There are also 22 walks you would love to do. The book abounds with rare and beautiful photographs.
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Brian Fox is proud to announce his latest book, ‘Isaac Barrow, Blue Mountains Map Maker’. Significantly, this book tells the story of a draftsman who directly shaped the development of tourist maps in the Blue Mountains in the early 20th century. More than any other mapmaker, Isaac Barrow had a significant impact on making the Blue Mountains accessible to visitors. Isaac worked for the NSW Department of Lands in the ‘Compiling Branch’, a division within the Department unconstrained by legal parameters. This allowed Isaac to include information about beauty spots, walks, guest houses and business of direct relevance to train travellers, walkers, campers and all tourists to the area. Brian’s research is meticulous. So much has been discovered about this man and his family that the reader feels as though visiting a member of the family. The gallery of historic photographs and maps complements finely written text. The book is in A4 format, 72 pages in full colour. The RRP is $25.
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Brian Fox of Bushexplorers and Blue Mountains Geographical Encyclopedia fame is about to release a new text he has researched and written on the development of tourist maps in the Blue Mountains. The central character is one Isaac Barrow. Isaac’s passion and dedication led to the opening up of the Blue Mountains to thousands of Sydney siders for walking and exploring. Businesses of all kinds flourished as his maps were eagerly sought after.
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Here is an opportunity to showcase your photography skills, make a name for yourself, visit the Gardens of Stone NP and experience firsthand the wonders of this unique world class heritage area. You will also be helping to draw attention to unprotected areas under threat from coal mining. To become involved visit the Colong Foundation.
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