BELL, Alan

ISBN 978-1-923214-91-0
PAPERBACK

The Bells of Gulf Station

 

Pioneer farmers in the Yarra Valley 1850 – 1950

 

This book tells the story of the author’s Scottish ancestors who, in 1839, arrived at Port Phillip on the David Clark as part of the first shipload of free settlers to migrate directly from Britain to the new settlement. It follows their early pioneering of the Scottish farming community at Kangaroo Ground, and later expansion to become the owners of Gulf Station, a large pastoral run in the Yarra Valley, in the 1850s.

 

There, most of the third generation of Bell descendants would live out their lives without having children of their own, until, after a century, the property passed into other hands. In the 1970s, it was bought by the State of Victoria, to be managed by the National Trust. The unusual diversity and state of preservation of the original
buildings and infrastructure at Gulf Station make it perhaps the best example of a mid-19th century farmstead in Australia.

About the Author

 

ALAN BELL is a retired agricultural scientist who grew up at Pine Grove, Kongwak, the farm to which his grandfather, Frank Bell, relocated from Gulf Station in 1911. He, his sister and several older cousins are now the only direct descendants of the Gulf Station Bells who remember visiting the old property and its residents in the 1940s and early 1950s.

MIAN, Azmiri

ISBN 978-1-923214-19-4
PAPERBACK

Bridging the Gap

Bridging the Gap explores our cultural differences and their profound impact on generational relationships. While older generations cling to traditional customs, younger Muslims navigate the complexities of Western influence, resulting in a divergence of values and beliefs.

Through anecdotes and scholarly insights, the book delves into the pivotal role of grandparents in migrant families, illuminating how they serve as custodians of cultural heritage and sources of wisdom.

By fostering understanding and dialogue, it charts a path towards reconciliation, where tradition and modernity coexist harmoniously in the ever-evolving tapestry of Islamic identity.

RYAN, Michael

ISBN 978-1-923214-09-5
PAPERBACK

Minutes to Memories

In 1963, two Australian families of Irish heritage, Ryan and McNamara, were united through a wedding held in Ivanhoe, Victoria.

Minutes to Memories traces the ancestry of both families, dating back to the 1850s when they emigrated from Ireland.

The author provides a conversational account of his grandparents, parents, and siblings, and also shares his major passions with tales of the characters who have made these passions so special. The book is filled with engaging stories that offer amusing reflections for its numerous characters, in addition to recording important family history.

Minutes to Memories is the author’s gift to his family, providing anecdotes to help future generations understand the personalities that preceded them. It’s a record of who they are, so that in future years they will remain more than just a statistic in ancestry records.

CARVOSSO, John

ISBN 978-1-923156-36-4
PAPERBACK

Samuel Carvosso 1814-1874

Coachbuilder & Much More

People fade from the pages of history, often leaving little or no historical memory in their community. Yet, for a time, they have occupied centre stage, some longer, some shorter, but all heroic. Samuel Carvosso arrived in Adelaide with his young family in February 1849, an ‘Old Colonist’. He lived life to the full, was memorable, likeable, complex, honest, generous, yet flawed (as we all are). He lived a Wesleyan life integrating a personal faith in his Lord with the church, his work and the broader community.

Extensive appendixes include family trees and details of Samuel’s contemporaries, friends and extended family who intersected his life. Also includes insightful fragments about the women—Samuel’s wife Louisa, their daughters, and other women.

“Samuel Carvosso’s story takes the reader on a journey through the challenges and achievements of another time. It brings to light a slice of history, showing us the differences and similarities with our own lives.”

Lisa Lark
Editor

About the Author

John Allan Carvosso was born in Adelaide, South Australia, in 1952 and is a direct descendant of Samuel Carvosso.

John is a retired engineer. He specialised in piping, associated equipment, and engineering management. He is a current member of Engineers Australia, holding chartered status. He rose through the engineering ranks to the role of Technical Director with AECOM.

John’s educational qualifications include a Bachelor of Engineering and a Diploma in Technology Management.

John has been a committed Christian all his life.

This book is the fruit of his retirement dream. The project picked up where is father, Rex Samuel Carvosso, left off in 1994.

https://www.facebook.com/JohnCarvossoAuthor

https://johnacarvosso.com

RAVESTEYN, Jan (John)

ISBN 978-1-923088-14-6
PAPERBACK

Family Stories of a Migrant Child

His life, hopes and adventures written and remembered by Jan Ravesteyn

Introducing a heartfelt memoir that intertwines the lives of Jan Willem and his son Jan (John) Ravesteyn. In this captivating account, Jan delves into the memories of his beloved father, showcasing their unbreakable bond despite their occasional disagreements.

With deep filial love and a human connection that remained unwavering, Jan explores the profound influence his father had on shaping his childhood and ultimately shaping the person he became. As the narrative unfolds, Jan shares his own life, work, and adventures, with the invaluable support and encouragement of his daughter, Maaike.

His mother’s stories relating events from WW1, the Great Depression, WW2, a growing expanding family and the devastating flood of 1953. The biggest fork in their road was migrating to the other side of this wonderful world. The change in language, culture, geography and much more, but Maaike always used to say “you take you self with you”.
So that simplifies life when you remain true to yourself.

This memoir highlights the enduring familial ties that have shaped multiple generations, extending beyond the immediate family into the future. This is a testament to the strength of family, the wisdom passed down through the ages, and the recognition that each member is a cherished gift from above.

HUTCHISON, Anne

ISBN 978-1-922722-10-2
PAPERBACK 


AVAILABLE THROUGH
TITLE PAGE  (for booksellers) or DIRECT FROM THE AUTHOR (for readers)

No Ordinary Life

No Ordinary Life tells the story of a young couple’s experience of World War II and its influence on their lives.

It’s a story of love and its resilience during extraordinarily difficult times, the time before, during and just after World War II. Their participation took them from war-torn Glasgow and the battlefields in France, North Africa and a small Greek Island in the Aegean, to life in a German POW Camp and a timber camp in the Highlands of Scotland.

When the war finally ended, they left Scotland as ‘Ten Pound Poms’ and established a new life in Australia, far away from memories that were best left behind. This book is as much about the times in which they lived as it is about them.

ISBN 978-1-922890-56-6
PAPERBACK 


AVAILABLE THROUGH
TITLE PAGE  (for booksellers) or DIRECT FROM THE AUTHOR (for readers)

Private CRL Smith

A digger’s story from the Western Front

“Just at dawn, he began to shell us. I thought the end had come, as four chaps that were in the same room as I was got killed. A shell landed in the street, only a few yards off.”

During World War I, the diggers were rarely safe, even when they were miles away from the front line.

This book provides a glimpse into a private’s experience on the frontline. It is  based on the war diary of Private Charles Robert Lumsden Smith but is set within the broader context of World War I: the events that led up to the outbreak of war, the battles in which Private Smith fought, and others that influenced him or the outcome of the war.

It is the story of one man, amongst the hundreds of thousands of young Australians, who fought in a war that changed the face of Europe and spawned the nationalism that set the foundations for the next world war.

About the Author

Anne is a retired science teacher who started her working life as a medical scientist. She followed a passion to become a teacher and taught Science in the western suburbs of Sydney before taking up a position at a large independent school in the city where she taught for thirty years.

Retirement brought time to write, first about her children and the remarkable journey they shared in The Gift of Adoption, and then about her parents’ experience of World War I, No Ordinary Life. Her latest book, Private CRL Smith, tells another family wartime story; this time about a young Aussie on the Western Front during World I. Anne states: “You won’t find his name amongst the heroes written about in the history books, but he was one of the many unsung heroes of a war too willing to sacrifice young lives.”

Title Page logo

Novella  Distribution