Australia Nonfiction

Australia is often seen as a young nation, defined by British colonization and modern settlement—but its story stretches far beyond European arrival. Home to one of the world's oldest continuous human cultures, Australia's Indigenous peoples developed sophisticated societies, laws, and land management practices over thousands of years, long before the First Fleet arrived in 1788.

How an ancient land became a great democracy. Longlisted for Best Non Fiction in the Indie Book Awards 2026 'Tony Abbott should be congratulated ... This history of Australia is vivid, readable, provocative' Geoffrey Blainey, historian 'I think it's very good' Tom Holland, historian Australia is...

Take a trip to “The Land Down Under” and discover all of the unusual wildlife inhabiting the Outback! There are kangaroos, wild dogs called dingoes, and nearly 700 types of birds in Australia. This title will also take listeners to the Great Barrier Reef and to some of the largest cities in Australia, showing kids the daily life and culture of Aussies.

The ultimate collection of unbelievable true Australian stories: the unknown, the forgotten and the surprising. Did you know that in 1932 the Australian army was called out to wage war on an invading army of 20,000...emus? Or that the first royal personage to arrive in Australia was the King of Iceland, and he came as a convict? And how about the spooky phenomenon of the mischief-making Guyra Ghost? From Jim Haynes, one of our most successful and prolific tellers of yarns and bush tales, comes this collection of unbelievable true Australian stories.

Take an alphabetical exploration of the people, geography, animals, plants, history, and culture of Australia!

What is it like to live in or visit Australia? What makes Australia’s culture unique? Explore the geography, traditions, and daily lives of Australian people.

Long before Australia started to be considered one of the best places in the world to live, it was thought to be completely unlivable. In the 15th century, the European race to claim land began. Despite the fact that Australia was a large landmass, no nation believed it was worth colonizing. The land was claimed by the Netherlands. However, little exploration happened there. Many countries actually believed it to be uninhabitable. However, the Aboriginal populations had already been thriving on the land for millennia.

For every car tragic out there - this is the one laugh-out-loud book you'll want to read this year... Australia's favourite motoring journalist, Stephen Corby is our Jeremy Clarkson - just a bit younger, funnier and less pompous. Drives a Bit Funny is part-memoir, part stories from a...

Argued with intelligence and passion, this book is essential reading for everyone who loves Australia enough to want to make it a better place for us all. 'When it comes to our future, misplaced optimism is as dangerous as blind faith. What is needed is the courage to face the way things are...

Hunter. Worker. Legend. The untold story of the dog's role in building a nation. The Dogs That Made Australia pays tribute to the dogs that gave their all for our prosperity: the fearless hounds that saved fledgling colonies from famine; the courageous heelers and tireless collies that powered...

Australia is home to some of the most unusual animals in the world. Did you know, millions of years ago, all the continents were clumped into one large landmass? When the continents began to break away, South America, Antarctica, and Australia were still stuck together. Later, South America connected to North America, but Australia separated. It kept evolving in isolation, which is why the animals of Australia can look very different from animals anywhere else in the world.

Six-time Bathurst 1000 winner Garth Tander sits among exalted company in the history of Australian motorsport, as a dominant figure in the modern era of the annual 'Great Race' at Mount Panorama. A lanky kid from Perth obsessed by going fast, Garth achieved skill and speed in a race car that...

Australia is the land down under. How did this land become populated? Who lived there before? What is the country like now? Learn loads of facts and history of some of the best sites to visit in Australia. Great for book reports, learning, and discovering what is so amazing about Australia.

By a Walkley Award-winning journalist, a gripping true crime-meets-political intrigue about East Timor, a place where animistic belief, witchcraft and tribal conflict ensure that truth and justice follow separate, uncertain paths. A president shot, a prime minister attacked, a rebel leader...