Mailman of the Birdsville

try " Where the Seasons come & Go" by Eric Bonython, if you want to get a closer perspective of that region.

" Homesteads of the Stony Desert" by Howard Pearce is also a good 'un.

"Fought and Won" is a very interesting story of a self made man, John Lewis, whose family was subsequently known by many Ozzies. An easy read, not taxing at all.

Cheers

Another great read is " Tin Mosques & Ghantowns" a history of Afghan Camel Drivers in Australia. By Christine Stevens.

Yes the story of Tom Kruse is a good one, to think how easy we do the track thesedays in our A/C 4WD's.

And if you have never met Tom, he is a real gentleman.
We were involved with the "last mail run reinactment" in 1999, and have had a bit to do with him since at gatherings as well as my ,father in law calls, on him regularly for a chat.
There is also a video called the "last mail run from birdsville"
He still potters around his workshop each day at 90 and welcomes a chat over a cuppa anytime.

Cheers Pesty

Tom's story is fascinating because it's so recent and the results are so visible

The modern day traveller owes a lot to many of our early pioneers. Many have been largely forgotten and some re discovered by later generations.

Interestingly, some would of had a sense of history. But I suspect that if you could go back and have a yarn to some of them, they'd probably just say that they were just doing the best that they could.

Count the number of "our" explorers not born in this country.
Read about how some of these explorers ended up.
Read of our early women who often carried more firepower than the Yank outlaws. (Yikes !...)
Read what really happened to our indiginous people and then ask why are things the way they are.

Yes, times have always been tough for many. Spare em a thought the next time you're eating your ice cream in an air conditioned turbo diesel on the Canning :))

Another Australian adventurer Francis Birtles in Grit by Peter Wherrett.
Riding a bicycle from Perth to Sydney on boxing day 1906. These stories should be passed on to inspire kids of today instead of the overseas stuff lectured in schools .
All these people i have never heard of & i have lived in Australia for 30 years.

Dave