More good books

[Kindliing]

Safe outback travel .
Jack Absalom .

you know it’s old when the back cover says
“ this book , the basis for a series of ABC radio programs is an absolute must “.

1976 copyright .

where else I don’t know can you learn how to lash a tyre or spare wheel under broken rear springs to get you home , or shave some soap into flakes , a bit of spit and mix with bull dust to plug a leaking fuel tank , plus heaps more .

wish I could just put the whole book in pics on here .

has all the water procurement stuff , stars , needle compass and all that kind of stuff which has been around since back even then . Should not be lost this information .

 

[Randall]

I still have that - mum gave it to me

 

[mungo]

Still got a copy. Also the other classic "Outback cooking in the Camp Oven". By Jack and uncle Reg.

 

[Kindliing]

Quote : “ I have used jam on every gasket in the car , except the one on the head , and none have leaked after this treatment . “

Re: radiator hoses .

“I once skinned a kangaroo tail at the point where it’s circumference matched that of the hose , and then I clamped the skin over the break in the hose . When I took it off more than 12 months later I could see no signs of wear , and I’m convinced it would have lasted 3 or 4 more years .”
Jack Absalom . From this book .
Classic stuff .

 

[Kindliing]

Survival ! Remote area first aid .
St John ambulance Australia .
1991 copyright .

I will mention this book again , as these 2 books would compliment each other .

have told people this book should be in every hire 4wd or backpacker van across Australia .

has survival stuff mixed with first aid stuff , how to make shelter , improvised first aid , water procurement , stuff like letting the tyre pressure down when bogged in sand that could save a life . Putting a stonefish or stingray spike injury in a bucket of hot water, delivering a baby and on and on .
Surviving the elements sensibly , the animals etc plus way more .


if you got in trouble and had this book it would be extremely helpful and give action and purpose minimizing stupid decisions and panic .

if you read it before taking off and packed the recommended items you would increase the chance of survival even further .

as it’s old I imagine some of the first aid techniques have been updated . ( I’ve done quite a few basic first aid courses throughout the years , things like singing staying alive as the backbeat for performing cpr for example may have changed tune .)
think there’s even improvised baby formula from memory probably been shut down by the p.c police these days .

haven’t seen another book like it however , if there’s an updated type would like to know .

bit difficult to find this one , I do see it in second hand book stores and op shops occasionally .

 

[Kindliing]

They (St John Ambulance) have got a pocket sized remote area first aid “field guide” new version .
Will check this out . Missing the “survival” from the title .

Remote Area Field First Aid Guide | St John Ambulance Australia First Aid Kits & Supplies

Remote Area Field First Aid Guide | Pocket sized reference for the First Aider faced with managing an injured or ill person, in an area where medical assistance is not readily available.

shop.stjohn.org.au

 

[Kindliing]

Here’s some books for finding bush food.


this one is for North Queensland .
Fruits of the rainforest .
A guide to fruits in Australian tropical rain forests .

Wendy cooper . William cooper .

It’s out of print and expensive to buy unless you get lucky .
Shows the fruit cut open in beautiful drawn pictures , which helps for identification .

it’s a big book so probably not going in the backpack , however one of the best if you have the car or bring the fruit home to check .

there is a smaller book (below) which is similar looking at the pictures inside by the same author in print . Fit in backpack .
looks great too .

 

[Kindliing]

More for North Queensland .
Knowledgeable and locally written . Not all plants in these are edible ,though lots are , good for knowing what’s around you and picking up extra bits of useful information . Can easily fit in backpack .

 

[Kindliing]

Weed foragers handbook .

there doesn’t seem to be too many books around on edible “weeds” .
I found the price a surprise for such a small book .
Don’t get me wrong I like the book and it has value , just wish it contained more of it .

Something to put in the stew anyway , some more in this are useful for those down south , like the stinging nettles ,

 

[Kindliing]

Well I’m hoping to stimulate a bit of sharing of information with the food books or any books .
Maybe someone else has some that we haven’t heard of yet , that would be useful .

a lot of people would probably know this one .

Tim low. Wild food plants of Australia .
Far as I can tell the internet is good for finding things that exist in the real world .

 

[Kindliing]

Beats watching the grass grow .

if you can find an affordable copy good luck .
If you have one already lucky you .

Les hiddens ; bush tucker field guide .
Fit in your cargo pants pocket .

he has gone to electronic database of bush tucker if your into that sort of thing you can download something , maybe an app .You can google it .
not only plants , some carnivorous stuff too .
I’m not into apps so don’t know if it needs the internet to look at them online ? If so it would be almost useless in the bush here .
Definitely a book that needs to go back into print immediately .

 

[Kindliing]

Nan and Hugh Nicholson ;
Australian rainforest plants .

this series of thin books is a bit difficult to find also .

another source to use to compare , and sometimes seeing what looks like something else and turns out to not be , gives you a safer view and more idea of what surrounds you .

not solely for food plants . Useful plants aren’t always edible , eg.axe wood (rough leaved elm , aphananthe phillipinensis.)

Or sometimes which saps or spikes you really don’t want to mess with either .
North Queensland again .

 

[Mozzie]

nice a have a few of these same books, my favorite is a Les Hiddens one,
Tarnished Heroes. Epic Stories of Bush Survival.

Met Les back in 1998, was doing a cover story for our local News Paper,
he was doing a book signing at our Local Book Store at the time.

Chatted with him, snapped a few photos and he gave me the signed book (awesome)
...alas i never kept copies of the photos just didn't think at the time

 

[Kindliing]

nice a have a few of these same books, my favorite is a Les Hiddens one,
Tarnished Heroes. Epic Stories of Bush Survival.

Met Les back in 1998, was doing a cover story for our local News Paper,
he was doing a book signing at our Local Book Store at the time.

Chatted with him, snapped a few photos and he gave me the signed book (awesome)
...alas i never kept copies of the photos just didn't think at the time

I read that one recently too Mozzie , it was a double book I bought that had another one of his tales rolled in under the same cover .
Donated it back again , thought I had too many books again .

I like seeing where other people went wrong in epic stories like that , like lacking vitamin c , then remedy with the right fruits or berries , or how the taro in Queensland Cook reported he couldn’t stomach , or how those explorers didn’t even eat mud crabs or anything when they crossed rivers and then died .or the aboriginals kept them alive with tucker , or killed them
And Cannibalism no thanks , I’ll read bush tucker books .

hindsight is a great thing .
Lucky you meeting Les , he had a house for sale in Kuranda , the though did cross my mind to try bribe him with a beer sometime to see if he would come take us on a Bush tucker tour .
I figure he has been hounded before though .

 

[Kindliing]

Here is a book written by a Dutch lady with a New Zealand husband both living in the New Zealand bush , for I think 7 years at the time of writing it .

:Miriam Lancewood ;woman in the wilderness .

by living in the bush I mean nomadically in a tent hunting and gathering also taking food supplies with them like flour , rice and beans .

Peter’s role is the cook , and Miriam is the hunter who was previously a vegetarian .

she talks about the mental aspect of the aloneness and their coming to terms with it , and the challenges and good aspects of their life .

good book for dreaming about the freedom of doing this kind of thing in a realistic way from a first hand account .

let’s face it ,going camping without having to come back is a great dream to have !

 

[Aussie123]

If anyone is looking for the "Weed foragers handbook" - you can get it from Adam and Annie direct for less than $25

They are located in Melbourne and run foraging trips in the local area.
If you attend a course, you can get a discount on the book (at least you could in the past)

(No affiliation)

Contact us – Eat That Weed

www.eatthatweed.com

 

[Kindliing]

I saw this one too . They mention edible weed tours in Melbourne also and has a number on the site .


book is called ; Edible weeds and garden plants of Melbourne “ by Doris Pozzi .

they have also a newly released mushroom book called :”wild mushrooms - the beginners foraging guide “.

Home - Edible Weeds

Edible Weeds Book Edible Weeds and Garden Plants of Melbourne details over 25 of the most common and easy to identify edible weeds across Australia, UK & Europe and the US. Colour photos for easy identification. NEW BOOK JUST RELEASED MAY 2020! Click to see more details or to buy the Books...

www.edibleweeds.com.au

 

[Kindliing]

Picked up this today at the op shop

Bush Tucker Australia’s wild food harvest .

Tim Low.

Had seen the cover online yet don’t remember reading it before .
It would have to be right up there along with his other smaller sized field guide type book I listed in a post above as being of the best sources around .
Relevant Australia wide .
has a really good section on weeds , even seaweeds , Tubers , mushrooms ,herbs , fruits , seeds , flowers , cresses and on and on .

it includes aboriginal foods such as animals as bush Tucker.
More of The Who ate what and where stuff . Like the explorers , settlers , aboriginals .

has charts at the back with the nutritional values of a few items too .

brilliant book , highly recommend .

Note Listed on the cover are 2 other books , -one being
: Wild herbs of Australia and New Zealand .

 

[Kindliing]

Another snippet about Tim Low’s works from the inside back cover .

 

[Kindliing]

This book is back in print again now
(wildlife of tropical North Queensland- A Queensland museum discovery guide) ,

whether you want to know a freshwater fish , a crustacean ,lizard a spider or what wallaby , or species of bat your looking at ( there is a lot) or much more in North Queensland , good one to have sitting on the front seat of the car on an outdoorsy day , or in the pack on a hike .

packed full little general guide , and overview . Plenty to learn like which spider has the second best eyesight of any animal , which spider can kill a dog in under an hour , which fish can spit water to knock food off a stick to eat
Or many other useful bits you didn’t know .
Absolutely worth having .