Brindabella Press

The work of the Fine Private Presses is always a labour of love, as well as an art. Often these presses are quite personal endeavours, involving the private passions and obsessions of their creators. The same could be said for Brindabella Press, one of the few fine art private presses in Australia, Canberra. Instituted by the lifelong bibliophile, librarian and publisher Alec Bolton and his wife, the highly esteemed poet Rosemary Dobson (Bolton). At a time when computer and digital printing were beginning to take over even from mechanical printing, the Bolton's decided to turn their passions for the hand-pressed and hand-composited page into a reality.

The Brindabella Press never produced a vast array of books, but those that it did are well thought of as an important addition to the history of the private presses south of the equator. It is perhaps encouraging that Brindabella didn't pursue international sales, as it allowed them the freedom to produce works which they really believed in.

For the collector, the essential volumes to be interested in would be the various collected works of Dobsonian poetry (Greek Coins, and Untold Lives) as well as the very first printed and distributed book; Starting from Central Station by fellow poet David Campbell.

Greek Coins (1977) by Rosemary Dobson herself can be found at very cheap prices, even signed - which would only set you back some $150-200, A wonderful introduction to Dobson's work, as well as a piece of actual Dobson history. Untold Lives (1992) on the other hand is one of the last publications of Brindabella, and, given the nearness of her death in just another ten years' time, perhaps a poignant memorial and epitaph to the great poet. Untold Lives, with original woodcuts by artist Mike Hudson is available for around $150.

But Brindabella was not solely the province of Dobson, and Starting from Central Station (1973), a sequence of poems by David Campbell, can be found in fine condition for only $350.