Burns, Philp & Company (BPC) was incorporated in Sydney in 1883. One of the main shipping companies based in the South Pacific, BPC connected Australia with the New Hebrides, the Solomon Islands and New Guinea, achieving an early success in the copra (dried coconut) trade. This success was consolidated by mail contracts with the Australian government and other transport and travel enterprises. With few diplomatic posts in these Island groups, BPC enjoyed a significant Australian presence in the South Pacific region.
As South Pacific travel became more attractive to Australians and other visitors, BPC asserted its place in the tourist trade with well-aimed advertisements and in-house publications. One of the first publications was Picturesque Travel, established in the early 1920s. But the most enduring was B P Magazine which ran from 1928 to 1942.
B P Magazine was aimed at the traveller inspired by adventurous travel writers who had left a trail for others to follow. Advertising itself as a magazine that offered readers 'piquant facts', 'quaint customs', 'thrilling stories', and 'beautiful pictures', B P Magazine appeared quarterly, laden with advertisements and heavily illustrated with photographs and sketches in a very high quality format. While much space was given to articles that promoted the destinations offered by BPC, Australian destinations also figured prominently. From a postcolonial perspective, the portrayal of indigenous Australians and South Pacific Islanders is often consistent with negative depictions in other contemperaneous travel narratives. In addition to its interest in travel, B P Magazine showed a great interest in cinema, regularly publishing articles on new movies and portraits of movie stars. Furthermore, it included sections on theatre, fashion and music.
B P Magazine had one of the few female editors for the time, Dora Payter, and attracted contributions from a variety of authors, including many whose names have endured. The more well-known writers who contributed stories and verse included Mabel Forrest, Roderic Quinn, E. J. Brady, Vance Palmer, Mary Gilmore, Jean Devanny, Ruth Bedford, Dulcie Deamer, Ethel Turner, Ethel Anderson, Dora Wilcox and Will Lawson.
After the commencement of the Second World War, areas away from the conflict began to receive more attention. But, due to war-time restrictions B P Magazine was unable to maintain the quality of the publication, ceasing production after the June issue of 1942.
