Confessions of a Beachcomber, The

Facsimile reprint of an edition first published in London in 1908. Includes the original text and all 53 original illustrations and map (some were omitted from editions and reprints since 1908). This is Banfield’s story of life on Dunk Island in the early 20th century with details of the island’s geography, history, flora and fauna. With an introduction by Banfield’s biographer, Michael Noonan. The English-born author’s other books include ‘My Tropic Isle’ and ‘Tropic Days’.
Join Banfield as he describes his escape from hectic civilization to the simpler pleasures of a tropical paradise. A physical wreck, Banfield literally crawled onto the beach in Brammo Bay from the ship’s launch that brought him to the island where he would spend the remainder of his life and would find renewed health and interest in life. A disciple of Thoreau, Banfield became a champion of species preservation, and using his pen as his sword, he eventually persuaded the Australian government to set aside Dunk Island as a protected area for wild birds of all species. During his life on the island, Banfield became a keen observer of the nature around him, and while he argues his amateur approach to the study of nature, his catalogue of the island’s life provides an intriguing and comprehensive look at what it means to live free on a tropical island.
xvi, 336 p., [46] leaves of plates : ill., map ; 20 cm. #050322 (Name on fep.)
Facsim. 1st ed. / with an introduction by Michael Noonan. Facsim. reprint. First published: London : T. Fisher Unwin, 1908. Dunk Island (Qld.) — Description and travel.