Curious Minds: The Discoveries of Australian Naturalists Curious
Minds: The Discoveries of Australian Naturalists looks at the
long line of naturalists who have traversed Australia in search
of new plants and animals. Identifying and classifying the
unfamiliar plants and animals was their biggest challenge—the
early ones were frequently wrong but later naturalists were able
to build on and learn from previous mistakes. In time, a new
breed of homegrown naturalists emerged. This succession of
curious minds would help to foster pride in a developing nation,
as well an interest in the preservation of natural history.
Curious Minds brings to life the stories of the naturalists and
settlers who made the unfamiliar familiar and who contributed to
developments in natural science. Among the names are Joseph
Banks, Charles Darwin, Amalie Dietrich, Ludwig Leichhardt,
Ferdinand von Mueller, Ellis Rowan, John Lewin and John and
Elizabeth Gould. Beautifully illustrated with images from the
collection of the National Libra