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The collection for all your drinking needs, assembled by one of our leading Australiana authors.

About the Author

The son of British migrants, Jim attended Sydney Boys’ High and Sydney Teachers’ College, taught in schools and universities in NSW and Britain, has two masters’ degrees in literature, from New England University and the University of Wales in the UK, and is the author of 33 books. Heroes, Rebels and Radicals of Convict Australia, made the top 10 best seller list for history/non-fiction.

Jim currently presents three Australian history segments a week on Sydney Radio Station 2GB. A professional entertainer since 1988, he has written many songs, recorded for Festival, Sony, EMI and ABC, had a national hit with ‘Don’t Call Wagga Wagga Wagga’ and is the Australiana expert on 2GB. He was awarded the Order of Australia Medal in the Australia Day Honour's List in 2016, 'for service to the performing arts as an entertainer, author, broadcaster and historian'. The son of British migrants, Jim Haynes attended Sydney Boys High and Sydney Teachers College, taught in schools and universities in NSW and Britain, has two masters degrees in literature from New England University and the University of Wales in the UK, and is the author of 33 books. Jim currently presents three Australian history segments a week on Sydney Radio Station 2GB. He was also awarded an OAM in the Australia Day Honour's List in 2016, for ‘service to the performing arts as an entertainer, author, broadcaster and historian'. Lucy Bell is an award winning stage and screen actor and an accomplished voice artist. She began her career in 1981, appearing in A Town Like Alice. She has since appeared several films and television series, including All Saints and Dirt Game. Lucy has previously narrated Emily Rodda’s Fairy Realm series and The Quicksand Pony by Allison Lester. John Derum has been acting, writing and directing for theatre and television since his teenage years. He has performed More Than a Sentimental Bloke, his tribute to C.J. Dennis, more than 500 times around Australia. He has recorded the audiobooks of the Joseph Furphy classic novels, Such Is Life, Rigby’s Romance and The Buln-Buln and the Brolga. In 2019, John was appointed a member of the Order of Australia (AM) for his significant contribution to the performing arts and the community. Stephen Abbott is an enduring part of the Australian comedy landscape. While performing regularly over the past ten years as the Sandman or 'Sandy', Stephen has also found time to become an accomplished live performer, radio presenter, writer, actor, even recently turning his hand to documentary making in Siberia. As the Sandman, Stephen has performed on a number of different radio and TV programs, including: ABC TV's The Fat with Tony Squires and his ABC radio serial The 21st in 2003; Triple M's Breakfast Show with Amanda Keller, Mikey Robins and Peter Berner in 2002; a radio serial called Sunstruck Guest House broadcast nationally on ABC radio in 2001/2; Triple J's Breakfast with Adam and Wil and Triple J's Drive show with Merrick and Rosso, in 1999-2000; Sandy also co-hosted Triple J's breakfast program with Mikey Robins and Jen Oldershaw Stephen regularly performs as Sandy on TV programs, such as The Fat on ABC TV, Good News Week, Good News Week Lite, Good News Weekend and in two TV specials with fellow comedian Flacco for Network Ten, and his own special on Network Ten in 2002, Speed of Doubt. Stephen and Paul Livingston (aka Flacco) have developed a strong rapport and commonly perform together as Flacco and the Sandman, both on TV and live on tour. Stephen Abbott's writing credits include 7 books: The Diary of a Bus Clown, 204 Bell Street, Pleasant Avenue, Observations from a Moving Vehicle, This is my Surfboard and Sandman's advice to the unpopular (ABC Books); and Big Man's World (Random House) co-written with Tony Squires and Mikey Robins. Sandman is hugely popular on the corporate circuit, recent clients include The Property Council of Australia, Harvey Norman, and The Laminex Group.