Oceania Books

NZ is not littered with large hotels; most tourist accommodation is bed and breadfast and very good at that. This book documents most of the best in the country, with detailed comments, prices and several pictures of each place so that you have a clear idea of what it will be like.

I was in one of the boutique hotels that is featured in this book one night while out of my home town on business. (Dorothy's Boutique Hotel in Christchurch - a must stay place! ) In each of the rooms of this hotel was this fanastic guide to NZ accommodation.

Instead of being one of those typical hotel nights, where you are bored silly, I was fascinated to flick through the pages and see somem of the regions of our great country that have adopted the concept of becoming unique in themselves.

I have since visited many of the Hotels and Guest rooms featured, and in every case it has felt like staying with friends, not that plastic feel that alot of hotels have.

I would seriously recommend this book for all travellers that want to see the "real" New Zealand. Not that NZ is fake, but there are so much more to our country than the central cities.

I have this book on my coffee table at home, representing some of the best NZ places to visit and stay.

This book fills a gap which has existed for a long time. There just is not much available for the traveller, resident or person with a general interest in the Aboriginal heritage of Australia's first city, as well as modern Aboriginal culture.

The first chapter is an Introduction which gives a very brief, but good overview of pre-European Aboriginal presence in the area now known as Sydney, as well as post 1788 survival and communities.

The rest of the book is arranged according to geographical areas and sites within each. Many are well and truly on the well-beaten tourist path, such as Bennelong Point, where the Opera House sits. Others are a little less known or visited, such as the Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre in western Sydney.

Each site has information about getting there, both by private vehicle and public transport, hours, admission, contact phone no, facilities, and location on the most popular Sydney street directory (Gregory's) as well as a brief description and more detailed information. Includes beautiful colour photos by Aboriginal photographer Alana Harris.

Also interspersed in the relevant places, is text relating to a wide range of significant events, people and places.

I think this book has a place in every Sydney-sider's home. It helps non_Aboriginal people to better appreciate the land and places they have come to. It would also be invaluable for any visitor, as this type of info is just not found in this detail in generalist guides books.

Illustrated with breathtaking color photographs by Alana Harris and accessibly written for non-specialist general readers by Melinda Hinkson, Aboriginal Sydney: A Guide To Important Places Of The Past And Present is an informative guide to the cultural heritage of Australia's native aboriginal population. Forty-five historic sites, and the stories behind them, are surveyed in this impressive survey which is as fascinating for the armchair traveler, as it is for on-site Australian travelers wanting to learn about and come to a more coherent understanding of Aboriginal history and its cultural legacy.

The book is great. I love the www references, the personal touches and for me the descriptions and comments make me feel like I am already there.
Richard Hart

An activity guide packed with detail on everything from horseback riding and camping to fishing, cruising, hiking and more. Chapters are organized regionally and make it easy to look up local accommodations and eateries, inland and water adventures, and even small local maps for quick consultation.

Culturegrams is a "must have" for anyone in the travel industry, avid travelers, culture buffs and amateur anthropologist. Culturegrams introduces the reader, in four pages, to the daily customs and lifestyles of 174 societies. The background, the people, custom courtesies, lifestyle, society and "for the traveler" sections are found in each four page breakdown. The two volumes set (The America's & Europe and Africa, Asia & Oceania) cover the world by and large.

High speed travel has shrunk our world and made every other culture our neighbor. Culturgrams is a needed tool for all those in the travel industry and a wonderful reference guide for all who seek to understand their neighbors better. Highly recommended.

I have this book and it is a great to introduce children of all ages to different cultures without going into too much information that may confuse them. I've used mine with my 4 and 5 year olds to study/introduce different culturesand concepts to them. It's great! I recommend it to teachers and parents.

This is a really good piece of work. I'm a maritime history buff and I enjoyed it a lot. If you're at all interested in the early history of the New England states or especially interested in Nantucket and the way people there made their fortunes, I'd give this book a try. It's a good history that reads like a good novel in places. Highly recommended.

Mawer's splendid "Ahab's Trade" tells the incredible story of South Seas (i.e. Pacific) whaling during the 19th and 20th centuries. The principal character in this book does not have a particular name; the names themselves shift from voyage to voyage - but the constant heroic icon that keeps appearing is the longboat's crewman; the sailor who ventures out onto the high seas in little but a glorified rowboat, harpoon in hand, ready to do battle with a beast that could easily smash the boat to bits. Whatever you think of whaling, you can't deny the bravery of these men.

Mawer does not stop with a strict rendition of whaling, however: he takes the opportunity to share with the reader many a story about the Pacific in general during this fateful period, from the discovery of the Bounty mutineers on Pitcairn island, to the "ExEx" expedition of the 1830s (recently given its own entire history), to the exploits of Confederate raiders during the 1860s. The narrative ends with the (comparatively recent) international ban on whaling - a ban that Mawer does not entirely embrace. Immaculately researched and superbly written.

This book is beautifully illustrated with photographs, illustrations, and the most detailed distribution maps I have ever seen. The design of the book makes it a perfect coffee top book and it's content makes it both a perfect introduction to the world of salmon while at the same time a valuable scientific reference.

This book is very accessible to non-scientists, if you are looking for a book about how salmon, man, and the enviroment interact this is a great book. The title sounds a little academic but it can be appreciated by anyone with interest in salmon. And anyone who flips through the book will be taken in by the beauty of this book.

The Atlas of Pacific Salmon is what all universities and government agencies needed 20 years ago. I dare say, it was almost worth the wait. This is a splensid compilation of data and images. The map work in this volume deserves much praise. The content covers biogeography, biology, genetics, threats, status etc....
Should sell for over $150

If you are planning a trip to Australia or wish you could, this book should top your reading list. It's not a travel guide, it collects 39 articles or book excerpts from diverse sources that get to the heart of Australia.
You hear first-hand accounts of back packers, travel writers (Paul Theroux, Bruce Chatwin), Australians, adventurers, vacationers, and just ordinary people. Such a wide selection lets you see Australia from many angles from the food to the people to the animals and the landscape. This is so much more in-depth than a guidebook could possibly be.
Read the harrowing account of a woman canoer who survived a crocodile attack, experience learning to surf at Bondi, ride after brumbies in the Snowy Mountains, etc. Not all stories are heroic, as these are real people writing their impressions of a country and its amazing animals and hardy people. Each gives their own viewpoint which makes for fascinating reading.
The selections vary from 5 to 20 pages, making it a great book to dip into when you don't have extended reading time.
I highly recommend this book. After living in Australia 3 1/2 years, it brought back many memories of a wonderful country and showed me why I need to travel there again.

This collection of travel writer's accounts of their experiences in the land of kangaroos is amusing and informative. From an explanation of why Aussies call Americans "seppos" (a legacy of the rhyming slang of convicts, seppo means septic tank and tank matches Yank)to adventures in the Outback and quite a lot else, this is just a fun book to read.

If you've ever had a desire to see kookaburras, koalas and kangaroos in their natural habitat, you will relish the book Australia Calling: The RV Travel Handbook by Lionel Mussell. Lavishly illustrated with color photos, the book covers everything from choosing an RV type, planning your trip, what to pack, emergency preparation, the best communication devices to have when you're in the outback, to (best of all) descriptions of the various travel routes to and from major points of interest in all regions of Australia, including the island of Tasmania.

It was surprising to see photos of Australian RVs as well as vehicles made by manufacturers familiar to Americans, such as Winnebago, and to note the contrast in body styling. Australian RVs as well as those made for Australian distribution appear to be on the small side in comparison with American models. If looks are an indication, we'd say it's a safe bet that Aussies value utility and durability over glitz and glamour when choosing an RV.

You'll enjoy Mussell's easygoing, informal writing style, peppered here and there with Australian vernacular such as "caravans" for trailers and "cuppa" for "cup of coffee."

Aside from useful advice about trip planning and budgeting, the real meat of Australia Calling consists of Mr. Mussell's detailed, generously illustrated travel routes that cover the entire continent. Mussell possesses an intimate knowledge of Australia off the beaten tourist path and offers expert advice on where to go, what to see, where the campgrounds are, and where to eat.

We've all heard of Sydney, Brisbane, and Melbourne, but who knew that towns with names like Caloundra, Mooloolabah, Maroochydore, and Yandina also have attractions worth exploring -- like the Ginger Factory at Yandina or the Siding Spring Observatory near Coonabarabran in the foothills of the Warrumbungle mountains? From wine country in the temperate valleys of southeast Australia and its great cities of Melbourne, Victoria, and Sydney, you'll follow the Pacific coast to the Great Barrier Reef and the beaches of tropical Queensland, then drive across the desert wastes of the central outback to Ayers Rock and Alice Springs. Or follow the less traveled north coast, washed by the Coral Sea, home to ancient aboriginal culture and more akin to Asia than to the rest of Australia. Find yourself in the metropolitan port of Perth in western Australia on the Indian Ocean, and return to southeast Australia via the South Coast Highway where you can gaze out over the Southern Ocean from majestic cliffs, knowing the nearest landfall is at the bottom of the world.

As if that weren't enough, scattered throughout the book are many practical tips to make your journey safer and easier. If I have a criticism, it would be the lack of detailed maps of each region. However, Mr. Mussell stated early on that he omitted them on the assumption that most readers would have their own maps (less likely, though, for American readers). All in all, Australia Calling offers an entertaining and comprehensive look at the facts and possibilities of Australian RVing.

While in the process of planning a one month RV/motorhome trip through Australia, I was having great difficulty finding appropriate planning information for such a trip. Most of the guide books provide lists of things to see of course - but not in a manner suitable for planning an RV/Motorhome trip e.g. where is each must see location in relation to major roads, where are the good RV/caravan parks to stay the night. Then I came across the author's web-site (http://www.caravanning-oz.com/) and immediately ordered his book. While waiting for the book to arrive I sent the author some more immediate questions - which were answered very quickly. The book arrived and it had all the detail I had been looking for contained within the route notes e.g. Melbourne to Sydney via Hwy 1. The author has continued to answer my questions as they arise and even offered to review and provide further input to the full day-by-day itinerary once it is complete. I could not be happier with this purchase and the help provided by the author.

Originally in the late 1890s, By Reef And Palm is Australian author Louis Becke's thoroughly amusing collection of short-story "yarns" about daily life in the Pacific Islands that has been brought out in a new addition by Dixon-Price Publishing and will aptly serve to introduce a whole new generation of readers to the work of a man reputed in his lifetime to be the "Kipling of the Pacific". Reflecting a lawless era in candid, nothing-is-sacred prose, By Reef And Palm is a unique, captivating, enthusiastically recommended compendium of short stories showcasing the trials and travails a century gone "Paradise".

Originally in the late 1890s, By Reef And Palm is Australian author Louis Becke's thoroughly amusing collection of short-story "yarns" about daily life in the Pacific Islands that has been brought out in a new addition by Dixon-Price Publishing and will aptly serve to introduce a whole new generation of readers to the work of a man reputed in his lifetime to be the "Kipling of the Pacific". Reflecting a lawless era in candid, nothing-is-sacred prose, By Reef And Palm is a unique, captivating, enthusiastically recommended compendium of short stories showcasing the trials and travails a century gone "Paradise".

This map is the best in the market for a clear, concise overview of both New Zealand islands.

Very good product. Durable and has the ability to be written on with laminate pens.