19th-Century Australian Travel Writing
Joseph Charles Byrne (?1800-?1863) was an entrepreneurial immigration agent and author of a series of emigration guides. Twelve Years Wanderings is divided into two volumes – the first provides general remarks on emigration, and focuses on New Zealand, New South Wales, and Port Phillip, the second an account of Tasmania, South Australia, and Western Australia. Byrne surveyed the areas and illustrated the differences between colonies. He remarks on the convict system and penal settlements, the Aboriginal populations and customs, the towns and cities of particular colonies, industry, state of the economy, the press, and concluded with a section on colonisation and emigration. Byrne also published Australia Felix, and South Australia (1848), Emigrant’s Guide to New South Wales Proper (1848), and emigration guides to Port Natal and the Cape of Good Hope.
