The Birth of Sydney

by Tim Flannery

In The Birth of Sydney, scientist and historian Tim Flannery blends the writings of Australian explorers, settlers, leaders, journalists and visitors to construct a compelling narrative history of the great metropolis - from its founding as a remote penal colony of the British Empire in 1788 to its emergence as a vital trading power in the nineteenth century. Together, their voices and experiences create an unforgettable panoramic portrait of the early life of the majestic harbor city.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Australia

362 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 1999

About the author

Tim Flannery is one of Australia's leading thinkers and writers.

An internationally acclaimed scientist, explorer and conservationist, he has published more than 130 peer-reviewed scientific papers and many books. His books include the landmark works The Future Eaters and The Weather Makers, which has been translated into more than 20 languages and in 2006 won the NSW Premiers Literary Prizes for Best Critical Writing and Book of the Year.

He received a Centenary of Federation Medal for his services to Australian science and in 2002 delivered the Australia Day address. In 2005 he was named Australian Humanist of the Year, and in 2007 honoured as Australian of the Year.

He spent a year teaching at Harvard, and is a founding member of the Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists, a director of the Australian Wildlife Conservancy, and the National Geographic Society's representative in Australasia. He serves on the board of WWF International (London and Gland) and on the sustainability advisory councils of Siemens (Munich) and Tata Power (Mumbai).

In 2007 he co-founded and was appointed Chair of the Copenhagen Climate Council, a coalition of community, business, and political leaders who came together to confront climate change.

Tim Flannery is currently Professor of Science at Maquarie University, Sydney.

Reviews

[D.K. Cherian · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book is not actually written by the author but is a collection of written works and letters by various key persons during a time when Sydney as a colony in its beginnings.
A highlight in the book is the only written work by the Aboriginal, Bennelong. The book gives the reader a feel of the birth of a new fledgling colony by the numerous accounts of its key inhabitants. Not all accou ts are a glow of Sydney's potential, such as James Mudie's writings. Each letter is prefixed with a little intro from author Tim Flanerry giving us details as to who the person was and the situation in Sydney at the time the letter was written.

[Sally Edsall · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a terrific book. Read in conjunction with John Birmingham's 'Leviathan: an unauthorised biography of Sydney', you will get more than a working knowledge of how and why Sydney is like it is.
Flannery has written an introductory essay 'The andstone City', which gives a good overview. The bulk of the book is an anthology of voices from the earliest days to late 19th century -from Captain James Cook to Mark Twain, Aboriginal women, and British governors.
2000 saw a plethora of books on Sydney, as it hosted the Olympic Games. This is one of the best.

[David Mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

A worthy collection of writings that captures British, Aboriginal and visitor (French, USA and Russian) reflection on the young colony. A highlight is Bennelong's writings.

An interesting point to ponder: on first European contact the aborigines signalled an interest in knowing the gender of the well-dressed, clean-shaven Europeans. An officer issued an order and a sailor complied. To which there was the first ever flashing event on a Sydney beach.

[Kathi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant primary history source from an eye-witness of early Sydney.

[SteveDave · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fairly substantial collection of primary sources from Sydney's colonial history. Tim Flannery, the editor, introduces each source with a quick description of the source or anecdote about its author. He has also written a long introduction that picks out some of the major themes in the city's history.

The usual suspects are here - William Dawes, Watkin Tench, David Collins, et al. But there is a wide range of others, which allows this book to paint a fairly broad picture of early Sydney society.

Flannery doesn't really attempt to put the sources together to create a narrative history, and it isn't clear how he went about selecting which sources to include. Some stuff that I would have thought to be fairly important is missing; we here little of the Rum Corps or the Rum Rebellion, for example. But we do get to hear about some of the little known history of the city. Some of the early citizens of the city - characters and celebrities in their own time, but now long forgotten - are brought back to life.

Overall, an interesting enough read that will appeal to those interested in Australia's colonial past.

[Keith · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a great collection of writings from the first century of Sydney and told a great story about everyday life in the beginning of the colony. I do think that the book ended on a down note - I'm sure the editor could have found one more article that praised the city just to finish off the book.

[Kylie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thoroughly entertaining and educational collection of accounts of the early history of Australia. It's amazing to compare the old colonial town of Sydney with what stands in its place today. A lot of stories centre around the area I work in, and I know I'll never view these streets and parks the same way again.

[Blair · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting historical view of the growth of the city, within the context of major players through the years. Would recommend Leviathan by John Birmingham as a more engaging version of this history, since the latter has info less often (or less easily) found in historical texts.

[Eleanor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful - fascinating collection of primary sources.

[Marianne Broadgate]

Thoroughly enjoyed this. Very interesting.