06. Australist History

SHORT VERSION.—Hungry penal colony. Rum. Absolute Governors. Mad Lord B. Made Mad Molly Mad. Rum. Flax. More transportation. Alcoholic administration. Rum and Betel Nut. Hotels. Flax. Rum. No more rum. Rebellion. Victory. Van Diemen’s Land – the reactionary curmudegeon – goes its own way. Rum. Binge government. Merino sheep. B———ty. Inebriated Independence. Anarchy. Treaties. Autonomy. Gold. Influx. Rum. More Hotels. Inebriated Independence. Autarchies. Trade in wool, meat, flirtatious young lambs. Confederation. Dr. Albion’s Medicated Tonic. One or two World Wars. Drunken neutrality. One Flag falters.

NARROW GAUGE.—Aann Carlin wrote, “Our critics say a land with a hundred railway gauges can never be united. And I say, such a country can never be ruled by a tyrant.” Carlin went on to write at length about the indignity and smell of railway travel but that’s when people usually return the book to its musty resting place in the Felix Library – on the “Make Us An Offer” pile of the Books for Sale table.