Centre for Australian Language and Literature Studies (CALLS) Yearbook No. 7

Abstract

This year has been one of consolidation of our publishing programme. In August 1994, along with Animal Science, CALLS published J. S. Ryan's edition of Rolf Boldrewood's 'Grazier's Guide'. The volume is of considerable interest not only to the history of Australian literature, but also to the history of Australian agricultural development. In his careful and informative edition of the text, Professor Ryan has provided both classes of readers with an invaluable resource. Considerable media interest was aroused when the volume was published and a high-profile book launch was hosted by Animal Science. This particular publication was a fine example of cooperative endeavour between two usually disparate disciplines on campus. I hope it will not be the last. In April several members of CALLS attended the Australian Frontiers Conference at Longreach where they gave papers (Ellis, McDougall and Croft) and the 'Grazier's Guide' was again promoted at a venue which was particularly fitting - the Stockman's Hall of Fame. During 1995 intense work on the preparation of Louisa Lawson's Collected Poems and related essays by several hands was carried out by Leonie Rutherford assisted by Megan Roughley and Nigel Spence. The book is now in the very last stages of preparation for camera-ready status and will be published early in 1996. In September CALLS published Ewa Gajer's Bibliography of 'Australian Women Short Story Writers'. The book was launched in the Department of English and Communication Studies with a well-attended and well-reported function. A major notice of the work was carried in 'Campus Weekly' in October. Demand for the book has been steady since then. This was the culmination of a long research project which was supervised in the early stages by Dr Shirley Walker. Ewa Gajer came to UNE from Poland and completed her PhD under Dr Walker's direction, and CALLS is very pleased to be the publisher of the major resource compiled a scholar trained in our department. During the year Sally Nicol took over the day-to-day administration of the Centre, and it is very pleasing to report that in the past few months Sally has been selling considerable numbers of our previous publications. A particularly pleasing trend is the steady demand for the Campbell Howard Index, as all of the cover price is now profit which goes directly into CALLS funds. I have concentrated on the publishing work of CALLS activities because they have been the major feature of this year. We have now published 5 significant books (if we include the Louisa Lawson edition) in the space of three years.