Great Aussie Inventions

Great Aussie Inventions by Amy Hunter, illustrated by David Rowe (Walker Books)
PB RRP $ 16.95
ISBN 9781922179241
Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

Australia boasts many brilliant inventors. Many we know about, others we don’t. Great Aussie Inventions reviews some of the best inventions and how and by whom they were invented. They vary from farm machinery to spray-on skin for burns. With illustrations by clever cartoonist David Rowe, inventions become entertainment. Perhaps that’s what the people who invented them saw their creations as.

The Coolgardie Safe, named after the place where it was invented, has been the saving grace of the world and its food production. Bruce Thompson invented the dual-flush toilet while having some thinking time in the lav. It took 500 years to invent the notepad. Till 1902, sheet paper was used. Then stationer JA Birchall decided to stick the sheets together. Kiwi shoe polish, Safe-n-sound baby capsule, Ormsby’s surf lifesaving reel, stainless steel braces for teeth and the list goes on.

The stump-jump plough, a harvester that separated the grain from the chaff, the mechanical shears for shearing sheep that were invented by author David Unaipon, are just some of the things that improved life for farmers.

This is a terrific reference book created in a light-hearted way to entertain and educate. Kids will love for its trivia- like content. The illustrations are filled with humour and delight, and the front cover is a blast! A valuable resource for all institutions related to education, most importantly homes.