Overview

From the crowded streets of nineteenth-century London to the wild frontiers of colonial Australia, this 600 page, full colour book tells the remarkable story of the Hann family, pioneers whose courage, endurance, and determination helped shape a new life on the edge of an untamed continent. At its heart are John Hann and his wife Mary Ann Thompson, whose journey carried them from hardship and uncertainty into the vast cedar forests and river valleys of northern New South Wales. Their lives unfolded at a time when the Australian frontier was raw, isolated, and unforgiving, where survival demanded resourcefulness, ingenuity, and unwavering resolve. With 40 years of meticulous research and vivid storytelling, this book brings to life the struggles and triumphs of a family determined to build a future in an unfamiliar land. Along the way, the story widens to include John's brother Joseph Hann Jr, whose own path intersected with the expanding colonial world in a historic way, adding another thread to the broader Hann legacy. 'To The Big River' is more than a frontier narrative. It is a sweeping family chronicle that traces the ancestry, descendants, and enduring legacy of the Hann family, weaving together genealogy, history, and human drama across generations. Richly detailed and deeply human, this compelling account captures the spirit of those who ventured beyond the known world to carve lives beside the great rivers of Australia. For descendants, historians, and lovers of Australian pioneer history alike, 'To The Big River' is a powerful reminder that the story of a nation is written first in the lives of ordinary families who dared to begin again.

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9781925909234

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Dr Tracy Rockwell (1955) originally taught in both primary and high schools and was later appointed as a lecturer in the Faculty of Education at SydneyUniversity, where he spent 25 years, ahead of launching out on his own as an author, artist, and scholar. As a sportman he was a swimmer, surf lifesaver, rugby player, a NSW representative water polo player, and in 2021 was Oceanic Indoor Rowing champion for his age group. With a penchant for history he has written widely and published Water Warriors: Chronicle of Australian Water Polo' in 2009, receiving the 'Harry Quitter Medal' for his contribution to Australian Water Polo. He is also an avid genealogist and continues his 'Rockwell Genealogies' with this publication.

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