Henry Ayers: The Man Who Became a Rock by Jason Shute

Book Description

Secondhand. Very good condition. Minor wear to book corners and edges. Dust jacket has light creasing at edges and spine. Price on inside blank preliminary page is now covered with blank ex libris bookplate sticker. RFID patch on back page. Body text and binding are still prestine.

In 1873, explorer William Gosse, the first European to reach the central Australian monolith, named Uluru, Ayres Rock. But who was Henry Ayers, the man whose name is forever associated with Australia's most recognisable natural icon? And why should he still be remembered today?

This book, the first biography of Henry Ayers, focuses attention on the complex character behind the name and examines all aspects of his life - from his humble origins in the naval city of Portsmouth in southern England, his migration to Australia and his career as a miner, businessman and eventually as Premier of South Australia - a post to which he was elected seven times.

It provides a fascinating insight into Australian history through the life of a man who was consistently in the upper echelons of influence and authority in colonial society and whose legacy lives through his association with the most famous and recognisable natural feature of his adopted country.