Down Under in the Top End: Penelope Heads North

by Tim Bowden

Tim Bowden loves a good yarn. He also loves traveling with his wife Ros, their four-wheel drive and camping trailer, and setting up camp under bush skies. In Down Under in the Top End he combines all three to take us on one of the world's great road trips, from Australia's east coast to the Top End and into the heart of the outback. Told with wry humor, an infectious enthusiasm for history, and a nose for finding great stories, Tim lays bare the hardships of bush life and celebrates the joys and freedoms of being on the road. He takes us to a pub with no beer at Gregory Downs, has us paddling a kayak between the red granite cliffs of Lawn Hill Gorge, teases us with the pleasures of being an overnight guest in Darwin's Government House, and leaves us wondering what a statuesque and topless German tourist was doing striding down the Stuart Highway. And all along the way, he introduces us to characters only the outback could throw up, fellow travelers, and extraordinary tales of exploration and unexpected immigration. With Tim Bowden as your guide, Down Under in the Top End will have you packing your bags, putting your belongings into storage, and taking to the road.

296 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2008

About the author

Timothy Gibson Bowden was an Australian author, radio and television broadcaster and producer, and oral historian.