19th-Century Australian Travel Writing
Isabella Campbell née Prior (1830–1887), the Canadian author of The Inner Life (1862), prefaced her narrative of life in the Australian gold fields with the explanation that her work originated as a journal written for the instruction and amusement of her children. Detailing her 1852 voyage from Quebec through America, and South America to Melbourne, Campbell provided a colourful and entertaining description of Australia that was clearly intended for a juvenile audience. It discussed Melbourne society, domestic travel to the diggings, and colonial daily life.
