Illustrated Guide To Geelong And District
Written by Geo. H. Brownhill
Issued by The Commitee Of The Geelong Progress Association
Printed by Henwood & Dancey: Ryrie St. Geelong 1908 1st Edition
Scarce title - no others available online globally at time of listing.
"Illustrated Guide to Geelong and District (1908), written by Geo. H. Brownhill and issued by the Geelong Progress Association, is a rare and richly detailed snapshot of one of Victoria's most historic regional centres at the dawn of the twentieth century. Printed by Henwood & Dancey of Ryrie Street, Geelong, this first edition combines informative text with photographic illustrations, maps, and advertisements that together celebrate the city's civic pride, industrial growth, and natural beauty. Brownhill's narrative highlights Geelong's transformation from a colonial port and wool hub into a modern, forward-looking municipality, while also promoting tourism, business, and settlement in the surrounding district.
The guide captures the optimism of Edwardian-era regional development in Australia, offering a vivid portrait of Geelong's architecture, institutions, and local enterprises before the First World War. As both a promotional work and a historical document, it reveals the aspirations and self-image of a community poised between its pioneering past and industrial future. Exceptionally scarce—with no known copies currently available online—it is a valuable collector's piece for historians of Victoria, regional heritage enthusiasts, and those interested in early Australian civic publishing and local history ephemera."
A scarce but heavily worn copy with loss, damage etc to original covers and spine as shown. Minor inscription present. Multiple loose pages/clusters. Pages 43-70 are missing however someone has done an admirable job of replacing the missing pages with excellent facsimiles, see photos. Book appears to be otherwise as complete. Stains are present, along with some wrinkling. Please study photos to further understand condition.
