BOOKS ABOUT AUSTRALIAN EXPLORATION AND SHIPWRECKS

In 1712 a Dutch carpenter aboard the VOC cargo vessel Zuytdorp survives its shipwreck on the cliffs north of Kalbarri. Rescued by a family of Malgana First Nations people, he avoids death and becomes the first European known to have assimilated into an Aboriginal local clan. In the late 1980s a contemporary Malgana Aboriginal Australian researches and documents his story, believing their family trees are intertwined.

The historical period known as the Dutch Golden Age is evoked with breathtaking authenticity. In particular the coming of age of the Dutch carpenter in the province of Zeeland from 1686-1712 is detailed with eye-catching imagery and deeply researched accuracy.

Readers interested in Australian exploration and shipwrecks will find this story drawn from the Dutch Golden Age both riveting and captivating.