Maritime Heritage Association

Publications

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A Hazardous Life by Ron Forsyth & Ian Forsyth

Biography of Captain George Forsyth, Seaman, water police constable, pilot, harbour master, master mariner.

George Forsyth led a varied and hazardous life after arriving in the Colony of Western Australia as a 21-year-old in the early 1860s. Through hard work and natural ability he worked his way up through the Harbour Master’s Department and was appointed the inaugural head of the Department of Harbour and Light in 1879. Fremantle was a notoriously difficult port in the 19th century. As George struggled to improve safety and port operations, he became a thorn in the side of shipowners and the colonial administration which eventually led to his dismissal on spurious charges in 1885. He returned to a life at sea and fell into obscurity.

George was also an amateur artist. While he was a painter of moderate talent, his legacy is a collection of sketches and paintings that hold tremendous historic value. His scenes of Western Australia were executed with great attention to detail and are a valuable reference for researchers. Some of his work will be included on the cover and inside the book.

Brothers Ian and Ron Forsyth knew very little about their great grandfather until Ron began researching their family history. It became apparent that he had uncovered a fascinating story from our maritime history, one that would be of interest to a much wider audience.

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The following outlets stock this great publication:

The Chart and Map Shop, Fremantle
New Edition, Fremantle
Crow Books, East Victoria Park
WA Maritime Museum shop, Victoria Quay, Fremantle
Saga Bookshop, South Fremantle
Millpoint Caffe Bookshop, South Perth
Collins Booksellers, Cottesloe
Fremantle Arts Centre
Paperbark Merchants, Albany

Below are some of the publications of the Maritime Heritage Association and members.

Republished in 2015 by the
Maritime Heritage Association.

Albany and the Whalers by Les Johnson

Albany and the Whalers chronicles the whaling industry’s development and demise in Australia, from the voyage of the Emilia from Britain to the South Pacific in 1790, to Albany’s rise as an important whaling centre in the mid-1800s, and the closure of the Cheynes Beach whaling venture in 1978.

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The Waugal and the Swan by Jill Worsley

Published in 2019 by the
Maritime Heritage Association.

This is a story of a river. Now called the Swan, the river was known to the local Nyungar people as the Durbal Yaragan

The Nyungar had used the river and its environs for thousands of years, but in 1650 they witnessed the arrival of the first European ships off the coast, an event that was eventually to bring big changes to their way life. In this book, Western Australian maritime historian, Jill Worsley, explores the traditional use of the river and charts the changes that took place with the arrival of Europeans between 1650 and 1850.

Dutch, and later french, explorers visited the area but it wasn't until 1829 that British colonists settled along the river. The arrival of the first convicts in 1850 began a new phase of development, as labour became available to begin building the city of Perth we know today.

Use of the river may have changed but it remains important in the lives of those who live here. Understanding the ways in which the river has been used over this particular 200 year period may lead to a greater appreciation of our different connections with it.

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Messing about in Earnest by Nick Burningham

Take a river journey in a small boat with Nick Burningham at the helm. Messing About in Earnest is a delightful blend of travel writing, history, geography and real-life adventure. Nick drifts down the Swan and Canning Rivers in his trusty boat called Earnest. His book takes the reader on the trip of a lifetime with whimsical and humorous stories of the people, places and history he encounters.

Available: Fremantle Press, ABC Shop, The Chart and Map Shop and other quality outlets.

The Capes by Marcia van Zeller

The Capes is an historical novel that challenges long-held beliefs about the wreck of the Georgette off Western Australia, in 1876. According to many accounts, 16-year-old Grace Bussell and Aboriginal stockman Samuel Isaacs rode their horses into treacherous surf to deliver fifty souls from the stranded ship. The incident made heroes of them both. Perth writer/academic and MHA Secretary, Marcia van Zeller, proposes an alternative reading of this tragic shipwreck tale.

email: [email protected]

Green Seas and White Horses by Jill & Peter Worsley

Green Seas and White Horses: Western Australia's Maritime Heritage between Flinders Bay and Eucla by Jill & Peter Worsley, edited by Jeremy Green. 361 pages, published 2015.

This is the third book in a series that form part of the Australian National Centre of Excellence for Maritime Archaeology Special Publications Series. Part I covers the shipwrecks and strandings that occurred between Flinders Bay and Eucla up until 1945. It gives particulars of the vessels, their owners, cargo and how they were lost. Part II concentrates on the reasons the vessels were there - sealing, whaling, timber, export of farm produce and related matters.

Available from the Western Australian Museum for $30 (MHA Members $20)

Fish and Fortune by Bill Leonard

In Search of Fish and Fortune along Australia's West Coast: by Bill Leonard, 304 pages, published 2017.

Master heritage shipwright and MHA member Bill Leonard has created a richly illustrated history of Western Australia's fishing history and fifteen of the most historically significant vessels from the state's main fishing regions.

This book is published by the Western Australian Museum with sponsorship from Julian and Alexandra Burt and the following partners:-

Western Australian Fishing Industry Council Inc,

Western Rock Lobster Council Inc,

Pearl Producers Association

Western Australian Museum Foundation

Available from the Western Australian Museum and Boffins Books

Last updated: 23/12/2023