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Rugged Beyond Imagination: Stories from an Australian mountain region
Matthew Higgins. National Museum of Australia Press. ISBN 9781876944742. RRP: $39.95
Cover image: The RMC Duntroon ski lodge, Mt Ginini, 1950s. Alan Bagnall, Kosciuszko Huts Association Collection.
Grand, wild and windswept, the Australian Alps have played a big part in forging the identity of our nation. Rugged Beyond Imagination examines the lesser-known northern Alps, defined by the Namadgi-Tidbinbilla region of the Australian Capital Territory, and pursues its historical links with Kosciuszko National Park.
Drawing on a rich oral history, this book captures the experiences of stockmen and skiers, scientists and surveyors, dam builders and brumby runners to paint a vivid picture of how people were shaped by the mountain environment and how they endeavoured to shape it. Rare and iconic images help to convey the beauty and history of a very special part of Australia.
Praise for Rugged Beyond Imagination
"This is a story of a unique part of Australia and how people experienced these mountains and came to terms with them. Any resident of Canberra who looks out beyond the city to the rugged mountains to the south, blanketed in snow in winter, or who walks those mountains, will find this book a mine of evocative images and an inspiration for further exploration."
- Robert Willson, Canberra Times, 29 August 2009