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 'A fascinating book ... that negotiates all kinds of...

'Pentridge was a place of murder and mayhem. A bluestone hell. The worst prison Australia has ever seen.' Andrew Kirby, former inmate Welcome to Pentridge, Australia's most infamous prison. In the long-awaited return to his bestselling true crime series on life behind bars, James Phelps has...

'A riveting ride along the knife edge of life and death from a frontline worker in one of our most crucial professions.' Fiona Kelly McGregor, author of Iris 'Frog', a term of endearment for intensive care paramedics, derives from the notion that everything they touch croaks. Sally Gould...

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.

'As uncomfortable as it is, we need to reckon with our history. On January 26, no Australian can really look away.' Since publishing his critically acclaimed, Walkley Award-winning, bestselling memoir Talking to My Country in early 2016, Stan Grant has been crossing the country, talking to huge...

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

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.

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.

'Love has always intrigued me, in part because I have carried for a long time a feeling that I am doing love wrong.' Michael made a name for himself on the hit show Love on the Spectrum. After his televised first dating experiences, will he complete his quest to find his queen? Chloë was always...

As one of Australia's most celebrated athletes, Michael Klim's impact extends far beyond the pool. Klim's journey to greatness began behind the Iron Curtain, in communist-era Poland. His family made a bid for freedom in the 1980s and immigrated to Australia, where swimming became his passport...

An alphabetical exploration of the people, geography, animals, plants, history, and culture of New Zealand.

From Jim Haynes, one of our most successful and prolific Australiana authors, comes a collection of classic Australian stories, yarns and furphies ... all of them unknown.Things are not always as they seem, or as we've been told. Was the Ghan really named after the Afghan traders, and do we really know what the Ashes are?

From one of Australia's leading Indigenous journalists comes a collection of fierce and powerful essays proving why the media need to believe Black witnesses and showcasing ways that journalism can be used to hold the powerful to account and make the world a more equitable place. Black Witness is the essential collection of First Nations journalism that we need right now – and always have.

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...

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.

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...

In September 2015, Joe Hockey's promising political career was brought to a dramatic end when Malcolm Turnbull successfully challenged Prime Minister Tony Abbott for the Liberal leadership. After felling the Abbott/Hockey government, Turnbull informed Hockey that he would no longer be treasurer...

What separates the world's elite performers from everyone else? Thriving reveals the mental-mastery techniques that transform good into extraordinary. Drawing on his unique journey - from forensic behavioural science to coaching world-class athletes, coaches, artists and business leaders - David...