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WILDERNESS BOOKS
Covers Tamborine, Springbrook, Lamington, Border Ranges, Mount Barney, Main Range, Flinders Peak, the Great Walk and the full Scenic Rim Traverse.
South East Queensland is endowed with an immense variety of natural bushland. No other region of Australia has such a diverse range of wilderness scenery in such close proximity, from the vast sandy regions of Fraser and Moreton Islands to the rainforests of Springbrook and Lamington, the rocky peaks of Mount Barney and the granite outcrops of Girraween. Nearly every major Australian wilderness type is represented here.
The jewel in the crown as far as mountain scenery goes is the Scenic Rim and that is what this book is about. The Scenic Rim is a long chain of mountains beginning at Point Danger on the Gold Coast and then leading westwards to encompass Springbrook, Lamington, the Border Ranges, Lever's Plateau and the high rocky peaks of Mount Lindesay and Mount Barney before joining the Great Dividing Range at Wilsons Peak. Here the Rim turns northwards, following the Main Range through Cunningham's Gap and then the ridge crest further northwards to the Mistake Mountains and the Little Liverpool Range near Laidley. This guide describes bushwalks and climbs in these superb ranges as well as the nearby areas of Tamborine and Flinders Peak.
Secrets of the Scenic Rim (AUD$29.95)
(Paperback, 192 pages, 210x145mm, 0.45kg, 2016
ISBN 978-0-9874938-5-9)
The Steamers, Great Dividing Range, Scenic Rim (Qld)
Review from Wild Magazine July 2015
. . . this updated version will be well-received by regular visitors to the area who own
the first edition while also remaining a very informative guidebook for those picking it up for the first time. Including colour photography,
maps and location-specific details, Rankin presents an exhaustive resource for anyone seeking to go adventuring in the region. While
the focus is on bushwalking and a certain amount of climbing, the lists of campsites, notes on flora and fauna as well as added historical
information means this guide would be a wise investment for anyone wishing to visit Queensland’s Scenic Rim.
Review from the Local Bulletin July 2015
. . .This book enables many, who like me, have always wanted to be more adventurous
in their walking choices but have not been able to find the detailed information to try it. This book has all the weather advice,
travel information and the right websites to allow you to find out more detail. Each walk has advice on access, grading, time taken
and interesting things to look out for on the way, with additional information on campsites and national park information.
The maps
and photographs are the stunning centrepiece of this publication with full contour lines and aerial images to show you exactly where
the walk begins and ends. Showing easily what difficulty and angle of ascent is really expected from you as the walker, whilst also
tantalisingly giving you some idea of the views you will experience.
The final chapter gives some history on the area, and a recap
on climbing expeditions of the early Victorian explorers. A detailed account of the Stinson Air Crash of 1937 and the O’Reilly legend,
as well as a brief history of the last major climbing discoveries of the 20th century add up to a well-rounded read for all those
looking for a bit more adventure locally. . .
Classic Wild Walks of Australia Book and Software (AUD$29.95)
(Hardback Book and CD-ROM, 208 pages, 335x250mm, 1.70kg total, 1999, 2006
ISBN 978-0-9592418-2-2 and 978-0-9592418-5-3)
This large casebound coffee-table size volume contains superb coloured pictures, finely detailed maps and extensive text and track
notes describing Australia's top 25 bushwalking areas.Topics discussed in the text include: access, walking grades, weather, notes
on geology and botany, track notes and suitable campsites.
The areas described are: Hinchinbrook Island, Carnarvon Gorge, the Main
Range, Lamington Rainforests, Mount Barney, the Warrumbungles, the Upper Grose Valley of the Blue Mountains, the Budawang Range, the
Snowy Mountains, the Victorian Alps, Wilson's Promontory, Grampian Ranges, the Overland Track, the Walls of Jerusalem, the South Coast
Track, Mount Anne, Federation Peak, the Western Arthur Range, Frenchman's Cap, Wilpena Pound, the Gammon Ranges, the Stirling Ranges,
the Fitzgerald River Coast, Katherine Gorge and Kakadu National Park.
This book comes with bonus software CD of the same name - Classic
WILD WALKS of Australia Version 5 for Windows. The CD-ROM features 600 pictures from the wildest regions of Australia with overlays
of place names and walking routes with detailed notes on routes, access, camping, history, geology and much more. Weather and Snow
Data let you plan your trip for the best season. The included Route Profiler software allows you to plot traverses across Australia’s
most rugged mountains. Maps of each region with hotspots allows you to see the actual landscape of the maps while the Visual Explorer
lets you roam through the landscape using a series of linked photographs. A collection of articles provides a huge amount of additional
background information. The CD-ROM requires Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7, 8 or 10.
Reviews for the book
That Wild Walks is a major work of quality and substance is apparent as soon as you pick up a copy. The
photographs are placed in a book whose format and quality of printing do them justice. It could be one of the best books released
in this country this year.
Twenty five choice spots are covered in exquisite detail accompanied by some sumptuous photography
by a master. The Australian
Robert Rankin’s latest book sets a new standard in bushwalking publications, bringing together high-class
photographs, maps and concise but complete guides for a selection of the best walks in each state.
Beyond the Horizon (AUD$19.95)
(Hardback, 208 pages, 335x250mm, 1.70kg, 2002
ISBN 978-0-9592418-6-0)
Although Robert Rankin has visited most remote places in Australia that are considered wild and remote, there are only a few of these
that he returns to again and again. These are locations that have struck a chord with him – they epitomise what he sees as the character
of the Australian wilderness or, at the very least, the type of experience he is seeking from this land. These places are the high
mountains, the remote mountains and the exotic mountains. From the tropical splendour that is Hinchinbrook Island to the icy peaks
of the Snowy Mountains and Victorian Alps, to the glacially beautiful Western Arthur Range or the craggy peaks of Mount Barney and
the Main Range of southern Queensland – these are the places he returns to again and again.
To explain what draws him to these
mountains is the purpose of this book. Using a range of source materials, Robert Rankin traces the history of exploration of these
wild places from the earliest known inhabitants to the present day. For his journeys of challenge and exploration, he chooses an extremely
lightweight form of travel. This way, he can cover vast distances swiftly and easily. The text provides a fascinating insight into
why he undertakes these demanding trips and the methods he uses. A large collection of colour photographs provides fine examples of
the superb and pristine landscape that anyone who cares to follow in his footsteps can discover for themselves.
At a time when nearly
every corner of the globe has been explored and thoroughly documented, Robert Rankin shows how adventure and new challenges can still
be found and enjoyed almost in our own backyard.
Review for the CD-ROM
If you are at all interested in walking the wild, this CD is without doubt the best of its kind in Australia.
It is a truly impressive resource. Sydney Morning Herald
Australia - Wild Places is simply a book of pictures of this country’s wildest regions. Australia has such stunning wild places that
no further embellishment is needed. Through a lifetime of exploring and photographing this country’s most remote regions, Robert Rankin
has compiled a collection of what he considers to be some of the best wilderness landscapes of Australia.
AUSTRALIA - Wild Places (AUD$19.95)
(Hardback, 96 pages, 310x250mm, 1.10kg, 2011
978-0-9592418-8-4)
Australia - Mountains is simply a book of pictures of this country's wildest mountains. Australia has a wide range of environments and geological structures and these have created an extremely diversified collection of mountain peaks. Through a lifetime of exploring and photographing this country's most remote regions, Robert Rankin has compiled a collection of what he considers to be some of the best mountainous landscapes of Australia. This is the second book of Australian themes, the first being AUSTRALIA -Wild Places.
THE PHOTOGRAPHS included in AUSTRALIA - Forests to Sea, the third and final volume of the AUSTRALIA series, comprise a selection of landscapes from the forests of the hinterland ranges down along the streams to the coastal regions of this land. Australia's landscapes are often at their best where the forest meets the sea. Through a lifetime of exploring and photographing this country's most remote regions, Robert Rankin has compiled a collection of what he considers to be some of the best forest landscapes and seascapes of Australia. The other volumes of Australian themes are AUSTRALIA - Wild Places and AUSTRALIA - Mountains.
AUSTRALIA - Mountains (AUD$19.95)
(Hardback, 112 pages, 310x250mm, 1.20 kg, 2012
ISBN 978-0-9592418-9-1)
AUSTRALIA - Forests to Sea (AUD$19.95)
(Hardback, 112 pages, 310x250mm, 1.20 kg, 2013
ISBN 978-0-9874938-0-4)
Wilderness Light is the book for all those who are fascinated with wilderness and have a desire to capture its many moods with a camera.
The
word photography, translated literally from its Greek origins, means to draw or write with light. With the simplicity and ease of
use of modern-day cameras it is, however, very easy to forget this. We tend to believe that the camera holds the key to the potential
quality of the photograph - in effect, that the technology of the computer age guarantees a superb picture every time. This is far
from the truth. The essence of picture taking has changed little since the invention of the photographic process two centuries ago
and no advance in photographic technology, including digital cameras, has substantially altered this.
It is light and not the
camera that is the photographer's true medium for expression. It is light which paints the landscape and we, as photographers, simply
record its influence. The real skill in picture taking is learning to be perceptive to the nuances of light and how lighting can influence
the appearance and mood of the landscape. As well, since the camera records only a small part of what our naked eye sees, we need
to be able to select skilfully a limited but meaningful portion from within a larger landscape and focus our attention on this portion
only.
Understanding these two facets of photography - lighting and composition - is the essence of good picture taking. These are
the central topics of Wilderness Light, and although written at a time when the workings of digital photography and digital processing
were still being invented, the issues raised in this book are still central to the skill of photography.
Wilderness Light (AUD$19.95)
(Hardback, 160 pages, 275x240mm, 1.20 kg, 1993, ISBN 978 9592418 4 6)
Review
Wilderness Light continues the Rankin tradition of quality photographic publishing at a reasonable price - printed superbly
in Australia as well.
On my subjective assessment of photos (whether I wish I had taken them myself!), Rankin's 44 images rate very
well, with several absolute stunners. The few weaker images are excusable as they illustrate points from the text.
More than just a
pretty face, this book is a treatise on landscape photography. Rankin clearly explains the principles of composition and lighting
at some length, and steers away from suffocating discussions of techno-trivia like silver halides and aperture priority.
Reviews
Six years ago I was given a copy of Robert Rankin's Classic Wild Walks of Australia - it was a life-changing experience
because it tapped into a desire to explore wild places, to be free and physical in nature. I thumbed through the book night after
night dreaming of the wondrous places that Rankin revered and I had yet to explore. It was the inspiration for much of my early bushwalking
in my new-found home of Tasmania and it continues today to be a book that refreshes my dreams.
I was not disappointed with Rankin's
most recent publication. He is one of the country's most prolific photographers but he is also a man who thinks not just about the
perfect picture but more deeply about his connection to the bush. Beyond the Horizon is special because Rankin reveals a large part
of himself not only through the colour images but through the text. His stories of walking and running through the bush are enthralling
tales.
The theme of this book is mountains and specifically what it is that draws him to mountains - the high and remote peaks of
tropical Hinchinbrook Island in Queensland to Tasmania's wild Western Arthur Range and the Snowy Mountains and icy Victorian Alps.
Rankin details his travels like a sophisticated diary. He also traces the history of exploration in these areas which gives the book
added depth.
The Sunday Tasmanian, 2002
[Rankin] realised that you don't necessarily have to get to the Andes or Himalayas for an
adventure and the sense of achievement which comes with it. But Rankin's Zen-like passion puts him into elite company. Add his skill
and patience at high quality landscape photography and you're onto something.
Most of us can quite confidently say we'll never negotiate the Thumb rock stack near the summit of Mt Bowen, at the highest altitudes
of North Queensland's Hinchinbrook Island. But with his book Beyond the Horizon, Rankin transports us there. His marvellous photographs
and descriptions of trips take us up to his favourite wild places. He has pushed his luck with minimal survival precautions in snowy
country as far south as Tasmania, and in the process captured some stunning images on film. For good measure, Rankin throws in some
interesting, well-researched social history.
The Courier Mail, 2003
With its full-page colour photographs of Australia's rugged peaks
and mountain landscapes, Beyond the Horizon looks, at first glance, like a standard coffee-table book in which the text is secondary
to the glossy pictures. But as Robert Rankin begins to describe his lightning runs (yes, he runs) through his most loved wild places
- Hinchinbrook Island, Mount Kosciuszko, Mount Barney in south-east Queensland, and the Western Arthur Range in Tasmania - the intensity
of his encounters transforms the way we view the images of this landscape. Complementing his own story is documentation of early inhabitants,
explorers and climbers of these regions. The result is an engrossing, intimate foray into the Australian alpine (sic) wilderness.
The Age, 2002
. . . part the author's personal bush reminiscences; part coffee-table, wilderness-photo extravaganza and part (Aboriginal,
early European and bushwalking) history. In effect, Beyond the Horizon is three books in one. Beyond the Horizon . . goes beyond the
ordinary. . .
Wild Magazine 2002
This beautifully produced casebound book is the latest offering from Rankin. . . Anyone interested
in our wild places will enjoy this well-researched book for its value as a reference and, more importantly, because it will serve
to inspire those of us who don't get "out there" enough to keep dreaming and planning.
Outdoor Australia Magazine 2002
The 93 large colour photographs testify to the author's dedication, flair and perfectionism in photography. Clearly the scenery is
to him an overwhelmingly important aspect of bushwalking and his pictures put the point across most persuasively, making this a superb
coffee-table book. But it is much more than that.
The scope and quality of the information is such that you can hardly go wrong. Yet
despite the concentrated nature of its contents, the book makes easy and enjoyable reading. Robert Rankin's style flows smoothly and
soon gets you on the track with him. Australian Geographic
His assessment of what is important in making good pictures is very wlecome, since I believe the emphasis on ever more bells and whistles
to be the path of fools, and particularly misguided in photography. As in the ancient practice of alchemy, the transformation of base
metal into gold happens mainly within the practitioner.
Rankin's solid discussion of aesthetic theory will enlighten people such as
myself who only know what they like in a photo without knowing why. There are also brief exposes on the fundamental technical considerations
of film, exposure, filtration and optics. It is good to see a successful photographer happy to share some tricks of the trade rather
than maintaining the mystique. Though having said this, not all is revealed.
Whole libraries of photographic whirrs and clicks are
available for technical buffs; Wilderness Light offers instead a thoughtful grounding in the fundamentals.
Out There Magazine, Issue
3 Winter 1994
Review
This is so much more than a coffee-table book. It may inspire you to visit the places depicted, it may encourage you to
walk more, take more photographs or just even reflect on the landscapes that can only be called Australian. It is all encompassing
of the range of habitats that make up our amazing land - from the lush tropics to the breathtaking and striking desert. The small
pictures and descriptions at the back are an added highlight, with paragraphs accurately describing the location and providing just
the right amount of information. It is great to see a book composed entirely of photographs taken before the digital age. We take
it for granted that we can edit and select with such ease, and these images each represent countless hours from waiting for the outdoor
conditions to be just right, as well as many hours in a darkroom.
Wild Magazine, 2012
Review
Robert's second Australia-themed book showcases some of his best mountain photography taken over 30 years. Unencumbered
by text, each photo takes up a full page or double-page spread. A section at the back outlines location and description of each photo,
as well as the date it was taken - from Mt Carruthers in June 1984 to Mt Cordeaux in August 2010.
Although the vast majority of the
photos were taken in the 1980s and early 1990s, it's interesting to see these photos and compare them to present-day landscapes. Those
too young to remember or with not-so-sharp memories who often walk through the areas captured in this book might be keen to see how
they looked decades ago.
Robert first chronicled the wild areas of Australia when he studied physics at university. This initial spark
inspired him to travel to our remote regions and present them in photo form.
Budding landscape photographers (or just those
interested) will enjoy the photographic notes supplied by Robert, along with some tips on shooting mountains and how to fine-tune
variables to best convey the sheer size of a peak.
Wild Magazine, 2012
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TASMANIA Wilderness Walks (AUD$34.95)
(Paperback, 192 pages, 210x145mm, 0.45kg, 2018
ISBN 978-0-9874938-6-6)
ITEM 19
Covers Cradle Mountain, Lake St Clair, Overland Track, Pine Valley, Walls of Jerusalem, Frenchmans Cap, Mount Anne, South Coast Track, Western Arthur Range, Federation Peak.
This book serves several functions. Firstly it is a guide, so there are chapters on each of the major regions. To complement these verbal descriptions, a series of maps is included which carefully integrate with the written word so that confusion over route directions is reduced to a minimum. There are also photographs with overlaid routes.
In addition, there is a chapter on the environment which comprises geology, flora, fauna and weather notes, as well as chapters on the history of human exploration and adventure in the region. Adventure is a more fitting term than exploration because many of the participants deliberately put themselves into uncomfortable and uncertain situations and circumstances that the explorer normally avoids. These historical accounts describe some of the more extreme undertakings possible and it is hoped that these stories will inspire those of similar inclination to create their own Tasmanian challenge.
HIGH PEAKS of the Australian Alps (AUD$34.95)
(Paperback, 192 pages, 210x145mm, 0.45kg, published 2023
ISBN 978-0-6455771-0-5)
A GUIDE TO THE BUSHWALKS
ITEM 20
High Peaks of the Australian Alps is a bushwalker’s guide to the most spectacular and mountainous regions of the Australian Alps which lie in the south-eastern corner of the Australian mainland and are protected to a large extent by the Kosciuszko National Park in New South Wales and the Alpine National Park in Victoria. This large tract of wilderness is famous for its spectacular and high rolling mountainous terrain as well as its long-distance walking tracks that traverse this wild country.
This guide concentrates on the high peaks regions of the Alps—the ones that peak-baggers love to climb. These peaks include Mount Kosciuszko, Mount Townsend, Mount Jagungal, Mount Bogong, Bogong High Plains, Mount Feathertop, Mount Hotham, Mount Howitt, Mount Speculation, the Razorback, the Crosscut Saw and others.
The book serves several functions. Firstly, it is a guide so there are chapters on each of the major high peak regions. In addition to these verbal descriptions, a series of maps is included which complement the written word so that confusion over route directions is reduced to a minimum. There is also a myriad of photographs, some with place names marked for easy identification.
In addition, there is a chapter on the environment as well as chapters on the history of human exploration and adventure in the region. Adventure is a more fitting term than exploration because many of the participants deliberately took on challenges that put them in uncomfortable and uncertain situations—circumstances that the explorer normally avoids. These historical accounts describe some of the more extreme undertakings possible and it is hoped that these stories will inspire those with similar inclination, skill and fitness to create their own. The book concludes with a chapter on survival in the Australian bush.