Local History Books and DVDs for Sale

2024 marks the centenary of The Old Margaret River Hospital (now the Community Centre) which opened in May 1924 and has long been a much-loved and essential part of the Margaret River community. Bill and Jenny Bunbury's book tell the hospital’s story and the socio-economic development of the Margaret River district.

The publication of "Margaret River Stories" brings to fruition a lengthy but enjoyable exercise conducted mainly by historical society member, Guy Jennings, who tirelessly interviewed local people and families to produce many of the the fascinating stories included in the book. Together with these family histories are newspaper extracts, personal stories, and many, many intriguing old photographs. The book also includes, as long promised, the definitive account of why the Margaret River was so named, plus the quirky little account of how the town's name was changed - and changed back! Professor Seal's summary. This book brings together the history and traditions of Margaret River and its people. From the original Wardandi, inhabitants of the region through to the present, Margaret River Stories provides snapshots of the pioneers, timber cutters, the Group Settlers, surfers, winemakers and tourists who are all part of a unique story. Illustrated with a wealth of fascinating photographs often drawn from the families of the community, this book is nothing less than a treasure and a tribute to the work of local dedicated and talented Margaret River historians and writers. Margaret River Stories is a joy to look at and to read and a model of what a local history should be.

A need to capture the past, sense, and present meaning of 'times gone' seems to lie in family, local and community histories. Such histories look to the past for roots so as to gain a present sense of identity and direction. In this book the author takes us through: Aboriginal inhertitance - early exploration - setlement at Augusta - the timber industry - group settlement - depression and war - growth and diversification.

The history of Gold Mining between Cape Leeuwin and Cape Naturaliste in the South West of Western Australia. The Government's effort to keep mining out of the area in the 1930's lead to strict penalties for mining gold in group settlement leases. The book includes a comprehensive guide to where gold and gemstones can be located complete with the geological make up of the region.

Margaret River is a popular tourist destination, but who are the people who live there? From Where I Stand: Looking at Margaret River is a snapshot of the rich tapestry of life in Margaret River, up to the end of 2020 - from the stunning landscapes to the fascinating stories of locals and the community they have built.

When Europeans first settled in Australia, the land withheld many of its secrets from them. There were broad rivers, wide plains and tall forests, all of which, to European eyes, suggested promising sites for settlement. To many of the new settlers, the First Australians were a puzzle. They moved freely through country they knew intimately. They had useful things to say to the European newcomers – if they would listen. What few realised then was that Aboriginal people, and the land they lived in, were indistinguishable. Failure to read the people made it hard to read the country. Invisible Country describes the environmental change that has occurred in south-western Australia since European settlement, through four case studies of the development of local rivers, forests and coastal plains. These stories, compiled through extensive conversations with farmers, ecologists, traditional owners and others who rely on the land, are book-ended by an examination of the historical perspective in which these changes have occurred. It is a reminder that the land owns people, not the other way around, and is the beginning of a conversation about understanding and care for a land we are all lucky to live in.

The diary of Frances Louisa (Fanny) Brockman (née Bussell) is in the J S Battye Library of West Australian History, where a copy is available to researchers on microfilm. The one volume ledger was donated to the library from the estate of Bussell descendant Athole Fergusson Stewart. A journalist, Stewart drew upon his great-aunt's record for articles about his family in the 1940s,and he described Fanny's diary then as 'a skeleton history of the Margaret awaiting someone to put flesh upon its bones'. Begun in 1872, Fanny's diary spans more than three decades. Her entries touch on the establishment of the South West timber industry, the development of the pearling and cattle industries of the North West, the discovery of gold, the rise in caves tourism and political change that led to Federation. With the research facilities now available, it is possible to fill in some of the missing detail regarding these and other events, and to profile many of the characters to whom Fanny referred. The advances in technology that enable this have distanced our present age even further from Fanny's than when Athole Stewart was writing 70 years ago, making her entries on purely domestic and farming matters valuable social history. Fanny's diary is more than a social history. It is a story of sisterly love and loyalty, and resilience in the face of adversity from a compassionate and indefatigable woman. It is time it came out of the archives and onto our bookshelves.

It's 1919. Corporal Joe Barlow returns from the Great War to his home in Oak Tree Place hoping only for peace and order, but this is denied him as he finds himself sole carer for this little sister Ruth and at odds with his widowed aunt who fights to have Ruth live with her. But Joe prevails and his sense of achievement is enhanced when he surprisingly wins the affections of Lydia- beautiful, capricious and entirely out of his league. Joe and the other residents of Oak Tree Place cope doggedly with the depressed years of early 1920s Britain but their vague discontent is suddenly pierced by the wonderful possibilities proposed by the government of Western Australia, which is offering free farms to suitable settlers.

Tom Wenman, addicted fossicker and author takes us through the beautiful south west of Western Australia. Lost gold mines, "locals" gem fields and hand drawn author maps of where to find garnets, amethyst, amber, gold and more. Discover limestone caves, petrified forests and the natural beauty from Cape Leeuwin to Cape Naturaliste, and gemstones waiting to be found. The finding and the location of of gold and gemstones is usually a guarded secret amongst fossickers with the exact location of finds never published. Tom has prospected the sites, walked the trails and mapped his finds in easy-to-follow diagrams where finds were made and photos of what was found.

In August 1921, the South-Western News reported that Busselton businessman Dave Gibb had piloted his Super-six Hudson from Karridale to Lake Cave without mishap, the first motor car to make the journey. Gibb's achievement was the culmination of an undertaking initiated 20 years earlier to link the caves in the Cape to Cape region of Western Australia by road. Drawing upon contemporary records, this book looks at the factors and people behind the inception of what is today an iconic drive, and provides an insight into the beginning of tourism in the renowned Margaret River region.

The Margaret River & Districts Historical Society compiled this recipe book with original settlers recipes. Celebrating 100 years of group settlement (1922 - 2022)