Available for purchase

BOOKS

Manning Valley Historical Society is proud to publish a wide-range of books written by local historians as well as its own outstanding researchers. The  publications we offer provide a unique insight into the people, places and events that have shaped the history of the Manning Valley.

Want to learn more?

Books may be purchased at Wingham Museum or ordered online at booksales.mvhs@outlook.com. Come in and take a look around or browse through the list of publications below.

 


“The Eclipse” Wingham, NSW

by Philip Gleeson

This is a history of the “Eclipse Garage” Wingham NSW. An overview of its operations 1926 – 1964/5

80 pages with colour and black and white photographs
A4 (21 x 29.7cm)
Printed 2019
Cost $15.00 CURRENTLY UNAVAILABLE

A History of Mt George

Compiled by Narelle Smith

Narelle has taken the history of Mt. George and produced a collection of stories touching many different facets of the community’s establishment and evolvement over time.

Softcover
115 pages with photographs
21 cm x 29.5 cm
printed 2017
cost  $24

 

A Peaceful Revolution

Helen Hannah

This book records the history of the Bulga Plateau during the period 1970 to 1995.  It is essentially an oral history that allows the inhabitants to tell their stories  about life in an alternative community on the Bulga Plateau.

Softcover
153 pages with photographs and maps
21 cm x 29.5 cm
Printed 2011
Cost: $25

A Soldier of the 2/30th Battalion

 

Terry O’Rourke’s War

Margaret A Clarke

Biography

Terry endured three and a half years of incarceration at Changi P.O.W camp. His story is told in his own words the the journal he maintained throughout the long years.

172 pages including photographs

13.5 cm x 21 cm

Printed 2022

Soft cover

Price: $20.00

At the Going Down of the Sun

A Manning Valley Remembrance – Volume 2: 1939 – 2014
Edited by Maurie Garland

This is the second of two volumes commemorating the sacrifices of young men and women from the Manning Valley in the campaigns of war. This volume covers the period from 1939 to 2014.

Softcover
96 pages with photographs
21 cm x 29.5 cm
Printed 2014
Cost: $15

At the Going Down of the Sun

 A Manning Valley Remembrance – Volume 1: 1885 – 1918

Edited by Maurie Garland

Dedicated to those from the Manning Valley who served in conflicts and wars commencing with the Sudan in 1885, and especially those who gave their lives in some foreign field.

This is the first of two volumes commemorating the sacrifices of young men and women from the Manning Valley.

 

Softcover
82 pages with photographs
21 cm x 29.5 cm
Printed 2014
Cost: $15

Australian Style

by Margaret A Clark

This is a short history of pottery with particular reference to items in the collection of Wingham Museum.

Softcover
32 pages with colour and black and white photographs
21 x 29.5cm
Printed 2019
Cost $8.00

Back to Lansdowne 1985

Paul and Di Elger

This book is the story of  pioneering families in Lansdowne, one of Australia’s better rainforest areas and of people concerned with the betterment of all through community involvement.

Softcover
80 pages with photographs
21 cm x 29.5 cm
cost $20

Bow Bow Creek School 1859-1967

Its Neighbouring Community, its History, its Churches, its neighbouring schools and its Families.
Compiled by Glenda May Smith

Bow Bow Creek School (now known as Bo Bo Creek) was the fourth National (public) school to be established in the Manning Valley.

Softcover, spiral bound
208 pages with photographs
21 cm x 29.7 cm
Printed in 2014
Cost: $30

Bringing Prosperity to the Valley

A History of the Manning Valley Dairy Industry

Bill Beach

This book is a history of the Manning Valley dairy industry from the 1890s to the present.

Softcover
138 pages with photographs and maps
21 cm x 29.5 cm
printed 2017
cost $25

Changes of a Lifetime

Author: Tom Woollard

Tom has searched deep into his memory to give us detailed history of how life used to be when it was an everyday occurrence to rise before dawn and light the wood stove for the first cuppa of the day, a challenge to move cattle long distances to market without the use of cattle trucks.  Also, when the only light was a candle, and the depression was the backdrop of the struggle faced by most families living on the land.

“It is my sincere desire to dedicate my book to the memory of the previous generations, especially to those who came to Australia in the 1840 to 1860 era. These folk were the real nation builders who sought new lives and fortunes in a new and sometimes inhospitable land.”

Tom was born in 1927 and this book was first published in 1995. Tom’s memories and stories of this lifetime growing up in the Manning Valley, just outside Wingham, give us an insight into ways in which adversity was faced and conquered in the past. Tom’s extensive contribution to the community was honoured by a Premier’s Award in 1992, but even more widely in the hearts of those his goodwill touched.

 

Second-hand book – good condition

164 pages with black and white photographs

17.5cm x 24.7cm

Reprinted 1996 (now out of print)

Cost $45.00

Cricket in the Manning 1893-2015

Les Eastaway

This book has a tribute to John Martin, early history of cricket in the Manning, cricket clubs, grounds and ovals,  curators, cricketers, and a photo gallery. There’s a great deal about cricket including stories, fibs, articles, folklore, club records, statistics, and much more.

Softcover
248 pages with photographs, index and bibliography
21 cm x 29.5 cm
Printed 2015
Cost: $30

Diary Of A Country Hall-Killabakh 1907-2007

Killabakh Community Association Inc.

 This book is dedicated to all people of the Killabakh Valley – past and present- who have volunteered their time, energy and other resources for the betterment of their Hall and their community.

Softcover

107 pages

21 cm x 29.5 cm

printed 2007

cost $10

Down To The Sea in Ships

Edited by Penny Rich

The book details the proud record of ship building, in the Manning Valley, from the 1830’s when William Wynter built the “Tarree”  up to the crafts built by Steber and Linton today.

It also contains the details of every boat built on the Manning River.

Softcover
64 pages including over 60 photographs
21 cm x 29.5 cm
Published 2002
Cost: $10

Enlisting for Gallipoli

Maurie Garland

This is the story of the 18th Battalion at Gallipoli. We follow the men from their Australian camp to Egypt and the Gallipoli. During the first week on Gallipoli the 18th suffered over 6000 casualties. An Honour Roll of those killed in this week is included.

466 pages including photographs

13.5 cm x 21 cm

Soft cover

Price: $30.00

Forest of Dreams

and Other Journeys of The Red Road

by Roderick Williams

“Rod gives us another superb helping of his ingenious poetry and short stories in a way only Rod can serve it. He writes of characters and places within this Great Southern Land, with words which can be as gentle as the breeze through a gum tree, or as potent as the bite of a tiger snake.”
Neil McArthur

Softcover
122 glossy pages with photographs
14 cm x 21 cm
Published 2006
Cost: $20

Frogs and Dogs and Kids

Rhyming Performance Poetry for Children

Roderick Williams
Illustrations by Sophie Glascott

“This book was written mainly for Primary school children, but some of the poems will have a wide appeal and I’m sure Sophie’s lovely drawings will thrill all eyes. The likes of ‘The Battle in the Garden’ – ‘A Secret Place’ – ‘The Liverpool Street Honker’ – and ‘My Blue Mate Jessie’ are performed to the delight of both children and adults.”
Roderick Williams

Softcover
64 pages
20 cm x 25 cm
Published 2002
Cost: $15

Gold on the Manning

revised by Maurie Garland and Glenda Smith

The story of the search for gold in the Manning mirrors the rise and fall of the area’s economic prosperity.   In prosperous times there was little interest in the search; however in periods of recession (1860s, 1880s-90s and 1930s) this changed and interest increased.   Our story focuses on the two most successful fields on the Manning.

Softcover
36 pages
14.5cm x 21 cm
First printed 1997
Reprinted 2002 &  2018
cost  $8