
Don Watson
October 1, 2014Shaped for good purpose
From stick insects to swagmen in Don Watson’s ‘The Bush’
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Don Watson
October 1, 2014Shaped for good purpose
From stick insects to swagmen in Don Watson’s ‘The Bush’
blog
July 2, 2014Why is Australia not a republic?
With all the changes wrought by World War II, Australia was in the 1950s still a British society. I can testify to that. In school I learnt British history, geography and poetry. At recess we played a rough game known as British bulldog. On Monday morning …
Horticulture
February 1, 2013Work of wonder
The Australian Garden
Culture
May 5, 2011A grand history
Mark McKenna’s ‘An Eye for Eternity’
nation_reviewed
February 4, 2009Public goods & pipe organs
If a town hall has an organ should it also have an official town-hall organist? I thought I took a wide interest in public affairs but until I met Professor Ian Harper, who was in charge of refurbishing the organ in the Melbourne Town Hall, I had never …
Politics
November 5, 2008Following Menzies
What should the Liberal Party do when Labor governments favour private enterprise, contracting out and selling off? Join in, of course. In August, Barry O'Farrell, the leader of the New South Wales Liberals, refused to join in when Morris Iemma's Labor …
Society
September 2, 2008An indigenous game
Aboriginal people make up 2% of the population and 10% of footballers in the Australian Football League. As anyone who has seen them in action will attest, they seem made to play the game, but were they makers of the game as well? Their role in the game's …
Society
July 2, 2008An oddity from the start
Convicts and national character
Politics
February 6, 2008Australia
The official history
Politics
July 4, 2007Political courage
Some Australian examples
arts
October 4, 2006The first XI
The best Australian history books