Dr Janice Newton brings her recent book to life, exploring the origins of nature writing in Victoria. ‘The Woodlanders of Walden Hut’ follows the story of three young men who rented a hut along the Olinda Creek in the Dandenongs between 1903 and 1907. Inspired by Henry David Thoreau’s foundational book on nature, Walden, the men recorded their observations about the environment surrounding the hut with accuracy and lyricism. This talk explores the history of Australian conservation and nature writing and the place of these ‘Woodlanders’ in it.
Dr Janice Newton is a retired Senior Lecturer from Federation University, Ballarat. She has researched, published and taught across Anthropology, Sociology and History disciplines. Her most recent work, ‘The Woodlanders of Walden Hut’ was published in October 2023 and reflects a multidisciplinary approach.
Attend Talking History in person at the Eureka Centre (no booking required). Past lectures can be viewed on YouTube by clicking this link.
Image: Photograph of Walden Hut, l to r, Donald Macdonald, E Brooke Nicholls, Ernest Scott and Frank Nicholls. Published in C Barrett, ‘Koonawarra: A Naturalist’s Adventures in Australia’, London, 1939.
