SOUTHERN CROSS SAFARI; AROUND AUSTRALIA BY BUS AND TRAIN
By Bruce Gall. Redgum Publishing. $35.

This is a modern odyssey, and an excellent yarn. It's also a solid read, but I found myself putting my novel aside to complete it. In a gumnut shell, this is the account of a meandering solo journey around Australia, based on visiting national parks and reserves, staying in hostels or pubs and using public transport as much as possible.

It is a book with many parallel threads, one of which is his scrutiny with a very professional eye as to how parks are managed, especially with regard to track maintenance and interpretation. Gall has excellent credentials for such observations, having worked in such major parks as Kosciuszko and Sturt, and having managed one of the world's great parks in Kakadu. Further, he has headed the park services of the ACT and Queensland. He is a serious walker indeed and his observations on signage, track design and maintenance around the country are sometimes complimentary, sometimes acerbic and always informed and constructive. I hope park managers the country over study the book. However, these asides often break the flow of narrative and could perhaps have been assigned to an appendix, though this is purely a personal opinion.

Another thread concerns the strengths – more often weaknesses – of the nation's train and bus systems to enable a traveller to get around the country and its reserves, a thread he often allows fellow-travellers, especially backpackers, to comment on. I found the view of Australia from a young traveller's eyes enlightening on several occasions. Again, transport managers could well take note – especially those in Tasmania apparently! Yet another thread concerns the nature and vagaries of hostel accommodation, a topic most of us don't get a chance to explore, and gently astute observations on his temporary travelling companions abound. If your interest isn't particularly in wildlife you would benefit from reading the book for this aspect alone. Otherwise wildlife is indeed a theme in its own right – though as an inveterate lister myself I couldn't possibly condone the counting of dead mammals on my trip list!

The book isn't illustrated but, in a neat twist, the photos are provided on a complementary web site, grouped as per the book's chapters – just search for southerncrosssafari.

It is whimsical, lively, astute, with flashes of philosophy and humour – he's obviously a natural informal interviewer and note-taker. I really think this book could become a minor classic – but do yourself a favour and don't wait for the movie!

Ian Fraser is a Canberra naturalist, broadcaster, natural history blogger and author, whose most recent book is Australian Bird Names; a complete guide.