Ancient legends, tales of exploration and discovery, yarns of gold discoveries and bushranging, war exploits, unexplained events, crimes and a seemingly never-ending cast of often quirky characters.
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Yes, Australia is quite a place. And Graham Seal, Emeritus Professor of Folklore at Curtin University, regales us with many a tale in his interesting new book Great Australian Places - Funny, curious and downright astonishing stories from across a big country.
From pioneering places to dangerous, sacred, unsettling, wild and imagined places, Seal reveals much about Australia - and Australians - on a storytelling tour from iconic destinations to tiny settlements, remote landmarks and little-known corners.
"Despite the realities of urban living for most, we still romanticise the pioneering past and the values we identify with bush life and legend," he writes.
Sometimes, he says, we live up to ideals like a fair go and a rugged independence; often we do not. "Yet we cling to our aspirations."
Seal tells us the stories behind songs about the pub with no beer and the land where the crow flies backwards - and he even tracks down the elusive Everywhere Man.
He investigates mysterious natural phenomena - have your heard about Australia's Bermuda Triangle in Goulburn, NSW? - and unsolved crimes, and takes us to the locations of gruesome events and secret installations.
Just who was the man once described as the prince of ballyhoo. Where is The Burning Mountain? What is the Golden Pipeline? It's all there and so much more.
Great Australian Places by Graham Seal (Allen & Unwin) RRP $32.99.
Seal is also the author of Great Australian Stories; Larrikins, Bush Tales and Other Great Australian Stories, Great Convict Stories, Australia's Funniest Yarns and Great Australian Mysteries.
- READ MORE: Toompine: where a pub has no town
- READ MORE: Guide to Australian rocks, fossils and landscapes
