or rather wild everywhere. As well as our British firearm heritage, large numbers of pistols and lever actions came into Australia before and after the turn of the 20th century. Private use, police, corrections and other bodies were often issued with them.A lot of 1892 originals in 32-20, 44-40 still in ownership out there, 1873 to a lesser degree.

Thanks to the size, remoteness and low population density, some areas were still pretty wild well into the 20th century. Blackbirding, aka kidnapping islanders to work on the plantations was only abolished in my state in 1904. 400 yards from where I am sitting there was a worker revolt and massacre. They made their intentions to attack the owners of the local sugar mill over greivances and had started planning to cross the river it was built on. Word came from town and a group of armed peoiple were assembled at the bank and shot them as they crossed. The northen territory was probably one of the wildest frontiers, they still only had 20 cops in 1920 and only 80 by 1950.

There is a pistol at a gunstore with an interesting story attached. Two land owners on a remote property got into a border dispute over a cow. One was mounted and had a 22LR bolt rifle, the other fella had a vehicle and a 45 colt pistol. Things escalated and the guy with the 22LR opended fire first. Both absorbed shots, the guy with the pistol finally shot the other fella off his horse. Workers found them in poor shape and they were rushed to the nearest hospital, where the police interviewed them. To avoid legal ramifications they colluded a story that an unknown party came out of the bush with both a 45 and a 22Lr and shot them both up.

Karl

Very interesting! I read "Fatal Shore" and not sure what Australians think about the book, but it just touches on Australia's wild outback.

Any book recommendations with other stories? Fascinating place and people, hope to visit some day. Thank you

Mt Al, I havent read that one myself but might give it a look.
I like the first hand accounts written by pioneers and their kids mostly. Unfortunately a lot of these are in and out of print. A bit like many old safari hunting books- not enough mainstream appeal, or too politically incorrect.

Some from my region. It was settled late enough that some of these settlers or their kids were still alive as old men and women when I was younger

Radiant Green, by Mena Fallon. https://www.alibris.com/Radian...l-N-Q/book/-73169313
Gods own country, Delia Birchley https://www.amazon.com/Gods-Ow...-Shire/dp/B005C6GERU
Hurricane Lamps, and Blue umbrellas. https://www.amazon.com/Hurrica...nsland/dp/B0033V77OU
Trinity Phoenix, by Dorothy Jones. https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Tr...a:g:kE4AAOSwdP9fX0m9
A Geography of Queensland, Archibald Meston. https://www.fishpond.com.au/Bo...m=ps&utm_campaign=AU
Diary of a North Queensland Pioneer, Christie Palmerston. https://books.google.com.au/bo...NAAACAAJ&redir_esc=y


Later Authors.

Rodney Liddell, Cape York the Savage Frontier. https://www.amazon.com/Cape-Sa...IDDELL/dp/0646283480 Strap in for that one.
DW Dehavilland. Ghosts and Gold, 4 part alamanac on the old gold mining camps. Still used by metal detectorists today.
Any works by G.C bolton
Ion Idriess is also worth a read as a popular historical fiction author in the day. Born 1889 and did every outback job from rabbit poisoner, sheep shearer, dingo shooter to ww1 soldier. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...Books_by_Ion_Idriess

The Tom Cole books are worth a read too

quote:

Originally posted by Karl:
Mt Al, I havent read that one myself but might give it a look.
I like the first hand accounts written by pioneers and their kids mostly. Unfortunately a lot of these are in and out of print. A bit like many old safari hunting books- not enough mainstream appeal, or too politically incorrect.

Some from my region. It was settled late enough that some of these settlers or their kids were still alive as old men and women when I was younger

Radiant Green, by Mena Fallon. https://www.alibris.com/Radian...l-N-Q/book/-73169313
Gods own country, Delia Birchley https://www.amazon.com/Gods-Ow...-Shire/dp/B005C6GERU
Hurricane Lamps, and Blue umbrellas. https://www.amazon.com/Hurrica...nsland/dp/B0033V77OU
Trinity Phoenix, by Dorothy Jones. https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Tr...a:g:kE4AAOSwdP9fX0m9
A geogrpanhy of Queensland, Archibald Meston. https://www.fishpond.com.au/Bo...m=ps&utm_campaign=AU
Diary of a North Queensland Pioneer, Christie Palmerston. https://books.google.com.au/bo...NAAACAAJ&redir_esc=y


Later Authors.

Rodney Liddell, Cape York the Savage Frontier. https://www.amazon.com/Cape-Sa...IDDELL/dp/0646283480 Strap in for that one.
DW Dehavilland. Ghosts and Gold, 4 part alamanac on the old gold mining camps. Still used by metal detectorists today.
Any works by G.C bolton
Ion Idriess is also worth a read as a popular historical fiction author in the day. Born 1889 and did every outback job from rabbit poisoner, sheep shearer, dingo shooter to ww1 soldier. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...Books_by_Ion_Idriess

Thank you Karl and muzza! Will give these a look and pick up ones I can find. Much appreciated.

My pleasure. If anyone wants a PDF copy of Archibald Mestons work, Pm me. He covers from the dutch ships landing in the 1600's through to his own era of the 1800's.