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The Forgotten Islands
'The more I learned, the more I realised this was an Australia I hardly knew. This was stormy weather Australia, an Australia of shipwrecks and sealers; of brutality and extermination; of folly and heroism; of wild weather and explorers in flimsy boats; of thousand-foot cliffs and amazing birds and strange vegetation; of places well-trodden and others believed never to have felt the impact of a human foot. This was a truly gothic Australia, as real and as valid as the gold and the drovers and the deserts, yet known to almost no one.'
Michael Veitch has long been fascinated by the islands of Bass Strait, between mainland Australia and Tasmania – a multitude of cold, dark isles, regularly pounded by atrocious weather and hardly visited, but rich in atypical Australian history. This is the story of his personal odyssey among them (plagued at times by appalling seasickness, airsickness and stinging nettles).
The Forgotten Islands is an incredible, evocative read that shines a light on this little-known part of Australia and its extraordinary history.
297 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
7 people are currently reading
144 people want to read
About the author
Michael Veitch
28 books35 followersMichael Veitch spent much of his youth writing and performing in television sketch comedy programs, before freelancing as a columnist and arts reviewer for newspapers and magazines. For four years he presented Sunday Arts, the national arts show on ABC television, and produced two books indulging his life-long interest in the aircraft of the Second World War, Flak and Fly. He lives in Hobart, where he presents ABC radio.
Books:
Hailing from a family of journalists, Veitch wrote Flak – True stories from the men who flew in World War II published in 2006 by Pan Macmillan and later, Fly: True stories of courage and adventure from the airmen of World War II published by Penguin Australia in August 2008. A third book, The Forgotten Islands, exploring the lesser-known islands of Bass Strait, was published by Penguin Australia in August 2011.
Further publications include a history of the CSIRO marine exploration vessel, Southern Surveyor will be released in late 2015 (CSIRO Publishing) and a further volume of Second World War airman stories, which will also be published late 2015 (Penguin Books).
Books:
Hailing from a family of journalists, Veitch wrote Flak – True stories from the men who flew in World War II published in 2006 by Pan Macmillan and later, Fly: True stories of courage and adventure from the airmen of World War II published by Penguin Australia in August 2008. A third book, The Forgotten Islands, exploring the lesser-known islands of Bass Strait, was published by Penguin Australia in August 2011.
Further publications include a history of the CSIRO marine exploration vessel, Southern Surveyor will be released in late 2015 (CSIRO Publishing) and a further volume of Second World War airman stories, which will also be published late 2015 (Penguin Books).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
July 18, 2020
A really enjoyable journey of discovery through the islands of Bass Strait.
In fact, the book is structured as a series of journeys, over a period of time, by boat and by plane. Anchoring the narrative is a fanciful but intriguing story the author recalls from his childhood, wherein a young man - the teenage assistant lightkeeper of Deal island - mysteriously disappears from the island at the turn of the twentieth century. The police constable sent to the island to investigate witnesses a scene involving a giant squid, that he thinks could be the key to the mystery. It's the kind of story we might call an urban myth; regarding it with almost equal measures of scepticism and wonder. In Veitch's case, the wonder was almost certainly stronger, as he never forgot the story and spent decades trying to establish its veracity. This mystery, always at the back of his mind, lends an almost quest-like quality to his explorations of Bass Strait.
Veitch is well-known as a maritime history buff and is generous in providing details of both the familiar and more obscure incidents and accidents of the region, involving sea vessels and those who relied on them. Combined with details of his contemporary travels, it all adds up to a rather fascinating insight into an area and history of the country that most of us would know very little about. It has certainly sparked my interest in seeing some of the more accessible parts for myself.
I read this as an audiobook, narrated by the author, which was most agreeable to me.
In fact, the book is structured as a series of journeys, over a period of time, by boat and by plane. Anchoring the narrative is a fanciful but intriguing story the author recalls from his childhood, wherein a young man - the teenage assistant lightkeeper of Deal island - mysteriously disappears from the island at the turn of the twentieth century. The police constable sent to the island to investigate witnesses a scene involving a giant squid, that he thinks could be the key to the mystery. It's the kind of story we might call an urban myth; regarding it with almost equal measures of scepticism and wonder. In Veitch's case, the wonder was almost certainly stronger, as he never forgot the story and spent decades trying to establish its veracity. This mystery, always at the back of his mind, lends an almost quest-like quality to his explorations of Bass Strait.
Veitch is well-known as a maritime history buff and is generous in providing details of both the familiar and more obscure incidents and accidents of the region, involving sea vessels and those who relied on them. Combined with details of his contemporary travels, it all adds up to a rather fascinating insight into an area and history of the country that most of us would know very little about. It has certainly sparked my interest in seeing some of the more accessible parts for myself.
I read this as an audiobook, narrated by the author, which was most agreeable to me.
April 1, 2012
I loved this one!
A most excellent birthday present from the prescient Shawn. As a complete Island addict the authors fascination with the Bass Strait islands made perfect sense.
With an elegant turn of phrase and an engaging style of writing the author tells of his mission to investigate the islands of the bass straits. This is a fascinating part of Australia situated between Victoria and Tasmania. While studying Marine Biology I had read and heard a lot about this region in therms of geology, tides and marine life. In this book I got to discover other aspects of the region.
In as much as the fairly young country of Australia has history, this region is chock-a-block with it. Stories of sealing, escaped convicts, enslavement of aboriginal women, shipwrecks and other small strange histories that each area has. All are tied together nicely until one feels that one knows the islands as a place one has personally visited.
There is enough information about the sea, ecology and fascinating flora and fauna that call the Bass straits home, to keep the biologist in me happy.
The story of the authors interest in the area is relayed through a small story that he heard as a child. I will not give out spoilers, but the story related (probably) to a Cephalopod. Anything Cephalopoda hooks me anyway but as a final teaser I have to say; I believe every word of this story unconditionally, so there!
A most excellent birthday present from the prescient Shawn. As a complete Island addict the authors fascination with the Bass Strait islands made perfect sense.
With an elegant turn of phrase and an engaging style of writing the author tells of his mission to investigate the islands of the bass straits. This is a fascinating part of Australia situated between Victoria and Tasmania. While studying Marine Biology I had read and heard a lot about this region in therms of geology, tides and marine life. In this book I got to discover other aspects of the region.
In as much as the fairly young country of Australia has history, this region is chock-a-block with it. Stories of sealing, escaped convicts, enslavement of aboriginal women, shipwrecks and other small strange histories that each area has. All are tied together nicely until one feels that one knows the islands as a place one has personally visited.
There is enough information about the sea, ecology and fascinating flora and fauna that call the Bass straits home, to keep the biologist in me happy.
The story of the authors interest in the area is relayed through a small story that he heard as a child. I will not give out spoilers, but the story related (probably) to a Cephalopod. Anything Cephalopoda hooks me anyway but as a final teaser I have to say; I believe every word of this story unconditionally, so there!
September 28, 2024
‘This trip through Bass Strait and its islands had felt like one day discovering a door to a room in your home that you never knew existed.’
A story set on one of the islands in Bass Strait both spooked and intrigued the young Michael Veitch. Years later, he decided to go in search of the source of the story. This book is the result of his personal journey through the islands of Bass Strait.
Bass Strait is the body of water that separates Tasmania from mainland Australia. A couple of its islands – King Island (between the north-west coast of Tasmania and Victoria) and Flinders Island (the largest island in the Furneaux Group stretching between the north east tip of Tasmania and Victoria) are the best known. King Island has a population of around 1700 people, Flinders Island has around 800. But most of the 50 + islands in Bass Strait are much smaller and many are not inhabited.
It’s an area known for its wild weather, an area known to history for shipwrecks and sealers, for fishing and (in the case of Flinders Island) for the exile of Indigenous Tasmanians between 1830 and 1847. These days, Flinders Island is a tourist destination for many. King Island is well known for its dairy produce – some of the finest cheeses I’ve ever tasted.
But the other islands are mysteries to me and while Michael Veitch didn’t visit them all, he brings them to life. Many of the islands look quite picturesque, probably romantically so when they are hard to get to. Many have quite brutal histories: inhabited by escaped convicts, used by sealers while seal hunting was profitable.
‘The more I learned, the more I realised that this was an Australia I hardly knew.’
Michael Veitch is a skilled storyteller, and drew me into his journey. I sympathised with him as he climbed the Nut in Stanley (surely, an achievement for those of us with middle-aged knees) and added Three Hummock Island and Deal Island to my ‘maybe one day’ list. And Skull Rock looks interesting as well.
The early history of these islands is, in Mr Veitch’s words, truly gothic. Visiting many of them may not be possible, but reading about them is to appreciate a part of Australia well outside mainstream experience.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
A story set on one of the islands in Bass Strait both spooked and intrigued the young Michael Veitch. Years later, he decided to go in search of the source of the story. This book is the result of his personal journey through the islands of Bass Strait.
Bass Strait is the body of water that separates Tasmania from mainland Australia. A couple of its islands – King Island (between the north-west coast of Tasmania and Victoria) and Flinders Island (the largest island in the Furneaux Group stretching between the north east tip of Tasmania and Victoria) are the best known. King Island has a population of around 1700 people, Flinders Island has around 800. But most of the 50 + islands in Bass Strait are much smaller and many are not inhabited.
It’s an area known for its wild weather, an area known to history for shipwrecks and sealers, for fishing and (in the case of Flinders Island) for the exile of Indigenous Tasmanians between 1830 and 1847. These days, Flinders Island is a tourist destination for many. King Island is well known for its dairy produce – some of the finest cheeses I’ve ever tasted.
But the other islands are mysteries to me and while Michael Veitch didn’t visit them all, he brings them to life. Many of the islands look quite picturesque, probably romantically so when they are hard to get to. Many have quite brutal histories: inhabited by escaped convicts, used by sealers while seal hunting was profitable.
‘The more I learned, the more I realised that this was an Australia I hardly knew.’
Michael Veitch is a skilled storyteller, and drew me into his journey. I sympathised with him as he climbed the Nut in Stanley (surely, an achievement for those of us with middle-aged knees) and added Three Hummock Island and Deal Island to my ‘maybe one day’ list. And Skull Rock looks interesting as well.
The early history of these islands is, in Mr Veitch’s words, truly gothic. Visiting many of them may not be possible, but reading about them is to appreciate a part of Australia well outside mainstream experience.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
December 24, 2012
The strange thing about reading the work of an enthusiast, is that after a while the author becomes more of a puzzle to unlock than the subject matter itself. Veitch comes across as socially awkward for most of the book as he travels and explores the history of the islands of Bass Straight. He attempts to link the various accounts of the many islands together by the consistent retelling of a mythical story he heard as a boy that allegedly took place on Deal Island. However, it never quite works. The book is interesting enough, and so is the author, but his anecdotes never quite hit the heights that good travel writing reaches.
January 6, 2017
An insightful perspective on a few of the islands in Bass Straight - a sometimes scary bit of water between mainland Australia and Tasmania. I'm as attracted to islands as the author, so had to read this book. The islands have an amazing history of exploration, terrible shipwrecks, passive extermination of Tasmanian aboriginals, agriculture and hardship. The author's self-deprecating adventures are refreshingly honest but it is hard none the less to get below the superficial.
June 22, 2020
A short but enthralling journey to the remote islands of the Bass Straight. Part history, part travel memoir and wonderful stories of the legends and stories surrounding the events, environment and people of the wind swept Bass Straight Islands.
7 hours and 24 Minutes of pure listening pleasure, enjoyed on audibook.
7 hours and 24 Minutes of pure listening pleasure, enjoyed on audibook.
January 17, 2015
LOVED it!!
March 7, 2021
Islands that I have heard of but never visited and thanks to this book by Michael Veitch I would really like to be able to visit some of them. This was a thoroughly entertaining read.
November 16, 2023
An interesting book about an area that I had never heard of
I love Travel books
I love Travel books
September 21, 2021
Author Michael Veitch follows his passions. He has a passion for old aeroplanes, particularly those that fought in World War Two. I share his passion and as a result I have read a number of his books. He also has a passion for forgotten islands and this excellent book is a result of that and I think that it is a passion I could well adopt as well, as the islands of Bass Strait that he describes in this book sound fascinating. I have always wanted to visit King and Flinders Islands and the other ones he describes sound that they are more than worth the visit from both a scenic and an historical point of view. Thanks Michael Veitch for your persistence in following your passion and using it as the factual basis for an outstanding book which I thoroughly enjoyed reading.
September 16, 2019
Having lived on on of these forgotten islands, Clarke Island, this book caught my eye. The book is a mixture of the author's adventures to a few of the Bass Strait islands combined with some well researched history of a number of incidents that happened in these remote places.
Once I started reading I could not put the book down. It is beautifully written in an easy to read style that encourages one to keep turning the pages. If you like stories about islands and or local history then this book is for you. I enjoyed it so much I'm going to purchase a second copy to gift. I'll also be purchasing the author's other books.
Once I started reading I could not put the book down. It is beautifully written in an easy to read style that encourages one to keep turning the pages. If you like stories about islands and or local history then this book is for you. I enjoyed it so much I'm going to purchase a second copy to gift. I'll also be purchasing the author's other books.
September 7, 2018
It's hard to believe that the desolate islands off the coast of Bass Strait could be a fascinating topic. Veitch however threads a gripping tale of shipwrecks centuries past and the unfortunate souls who ended up in the inhospitable isles with the beautifully understated humour of locals somewhat baffled by his enthusiasm for these deserted rocks. The romance he imbued them with is contagious, sketching dark forbidding rocks battered by crashing surf that in this portrayal really do become something special.
June 17, 2025
While The Forgotten Islands opened my eyes to the many islands scattered across Bass Strait—some of which I had never even heard of—I found the book ultimately didn't quite hit the mark for me.
There were some entertaining anecdotes, and I appreciated Veitch’s enthusiasm for the obscure and often overlooked corners of Australia. However, certain parts of the narrative felt off-topic. The backstory involving a family friend whose marriage breaks down seemed irrelevant, serving mainly as a gateway to a mythological tale that supposedly sparked the author's love of islands. This detour felt unnecessary and disconnected from the rest of the book.
That said, I did enjoy his time spent in Stanley, particularly his interactions with the locals. One moment that stuck with me was a comment from a woman in a craft shop who confessed she had never climbed the Nut, saying, "God no, I get tired just looking at the thing!"—a line that perfectly captured the local humor and charm.
In the end, the real value of the book was educational: I learned a lot about the geography and history of these remote islands. But in terms of storytelling, it just didn’t leave a lasting impression.
Unfortunately, it's a 2-star read for me.
There were some entertaining anecdotes, and I appreciated Veitch’s enthusiasm for the obscure and often overlooked corners of Australia. However, certain parts of the narrative felt off-topic. The backstory involving a family friend whose marriage breaks down seemed irrelevant, serving mainly as a gateway to a mythological tale that supposedly sparked the author's love of islands. This detour felt unnecessary and disconnected from the rest of the book.
That said, I did enjoy his time spent in Stanley, particularly his interactions with the locals. One moment that stuck with me was a comment from a woman in a craft shop who confessed she had never climbed the Nut, saying, "God no, I get tired just looking at the thing!"—a line that perfectly captured the local humor and charm.
In the end, the real value of the book was educational: I learned a lot about the geography and history of these remote islands. But in terms of storytelling, it just didn’t leave a lasting impression.
Unfortunately, it's a 2-star read for me.
April 17, 2025
Michael Veitch writes so well, his fascination with the islands of Bass strait turns into a series of journeys by light plane and by yacht - launching himself from Hastings in Westernport bay Victoria and Stanley in Northern Tasmania and also from Flinders Island (to get to nearby Deal Island). He tags rides and meets all sorts of Bass Strait locals along the way . Naturalists, bird watchers - former farming pioneers, lighthouse keepers and isolated caretakers of Martine history. He has deep knowledge of aircraft and military history which he touches upon occasionally. Michael - I hope you have been back to Deal - your visit was too brief.
January 20, 2019
Oh my goodness, what a spectacular book. I was gripped and enthralled from start to finish. Throughout his journey, and in the account from his childhood at the beginning, Michael provides a heart-on-sleeve insight into his personality and describes scenes and feelings in vivid detail. I didn’t want this book to end.
May 17, 2018
A travel diary with the perfect ratio of local history, contact with the locals and I'm having a beer in the pub stories.
It started of pretty boring, but I stuck with it and it got better after the first three chapters.
It started of pretty boring, but I stuck with it and it got better after the first three chapters.
November 23, 2018
I loved it also! I listened to the audio which the author entertainingly reads.
November 6, 2019
Terrific journey and exploration of the hidden wild gems nestling in Bass Strait.
January 5, 2020
Who would have thought a travelogue on the islands of Bass Strait could be such an interesting, engaging read .... history, suspense, pathos, humour - it has it all!
March 25, 2020
Loved it. Especially during self isolation when I needed some traveling.
May 20, 2020
Loved this book - took me to all the places so well described by the author. Adventurous, funny and engaging.
August 29, 2021
fabulous! Loved reading this.
January 9, 2024
Excellent! Most enjoyable and enlightening. I learnt so much about these parts. The author tells a great story with lots of suspense, and his description of the scenery is fascinating.
January 8, 2025
I had no idea this region had such a rich history and was so dramatic and beautiful.
April 1, 2017
What could be quite a dull travel log about a few featureless islands turns out to be more intriguing than expected. Stories from shipwrecks, sealers , isolated light houses, to the horrid treatment of aboriginals. I initially thought Michael Veitch reading style seemed a bit dull and monotonous. But then if I want to read an action novel, the story of isolated, cold islands is not the place to start. Instead, his WWII airmen books are certainly full of exciting exploits.
Yet I appreciate his style of writing makes him appear vulnerable and fragile. He frequently suppresses his enthusiasm, often to be replaced by feelings of unease and discomfort. He is clearly from the big smoke and not at home. His awkward banter with locals can at times be comical. perhaps it is his frailty that makes it easy to empathise with the author, making his journeys and observations more poignant.
I look forward to his next adventure
Yet I appreciate his style of writing makes him appear vulnerable and fragile. He frequently suppresses his enthusiasm, often to be replaced by feelings of unease and discomfort. He is clearly from the big smoke and not at home. His awkward banter with locals can at times be comical. perhaps it is his frailty that makes it easy to empathise with the author, making his journeys and observations more poignant.
I look forward to his next adventure
December 22, 2021
"The more I learned, the more I realised that this was an Australia I hardly knew. This was stormy weather Australia, an Australia of shipwrecks and sealers; the brutality and extermination; of folly and heroism; of wild weather and explorers and flimsy boats; of thousand foot cliffs and amazing birds and strange vegetation; of places well-trodden and others believed never to have felt the impact of a human foot. This was a truly gothic Australia, as real and as valid as the gold and the drovers of, the deserts yet known to almost no one. Here was an Australia far removed from the warm lapping of the Pacific, this was a cold-water Australian story, with Bass Strait starring as it's North Atlantic."
March 23, 2016
What an exciting and poignant adventure Veitch draws the reader into. His self professed love for islands is infectious and has fanned the flames of my own passion for the windswept and remote islands of Bass Strait.
Veitch leads the reader on a modern day odyssey from the meditative seclusion of Three Hummock Island, through dangerous gales, to the eerie Skull Rock, and on the hunt for a modern day Kraken! For the lover of nautical adventure, travel writing, family mysteries and the often brutal history of Bass Strait, a great read awaits. I come back to this book it again and again.
Veitch leads the reader on a modern day odyssey from the meditative seclusion of Three Hummock Island, through dangerous gales, to the eerie Skull Rock, and on the hunt for a modern day Kraken! For the lover of nautical adventure, travel writing, family mysteries and the often brutal history of Bass Strait, a great read awaits. I come back to this book it again and again.
January 6, 2012
Pretty much the perfect book for a beach read if you got any interest in the islands of Bass Strait. It's easy to read, nice big print an interesting insight into some places you'll probably never go. Don't expect much literary merit and the central story gets a bit repetitive after a while. For someone like me, who has always looked at those islands off Wilson's promontory with interest, it was very enjoyable.
December 13, 2011
Michael Veitch has a terrific writing style. This book is a fascinating insight into the Bass Strait islands. A record of his journeys visiting the myriad islands that dot bass Strait and some interesting history.
June 29, 2012
Lovely ambling story about the Bass Strait Islands.....not finished yet.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews