Cirrus@Austlit

19th-Century Australian Travel Writing

James Kirby's (1827-1904) Old Times in the Bush of Australia was a result of correspondence between the author and the Governor and Earl of Hopetoun, who requested Kirby commit his experiences of the early days of the Victorian colony to writing. The work was prefaced with transcripts of these letters and was written in a casual, colloquial style. Divided into three parts, the first concentrated on the hardships of bush life, Aboriginal peoples and bushrangers. The second part was more concerned with colonial society and farming, describing squatting, dancing, and local characters. Part three was a deliberation on gold mining and an account of a true detective tale. Written retrospectively, the work was a portrayal of Victoria from the 1840s to the 1890s.