Months of transcribing, editing and designing is paying off for Swan Hill author and historian Ian Itter.
He just released a reproduction of a historic local book.
Old Times in the Bush of Australia: Kirby Brothers of Tyntyndyer Station by James Kirby (or The Kirby Memoirs) was originally published in 1896.
It detailed the lives of the first European settlers in the region.
Mr Itter photographed the original copy of the memoirs at the State Library then edited, modernised and typed up the writings on his own.
“It was a lot of work when you look back on it,” he said.
With a passion for this period in Australian colonial history, Mr Itter devoted his time and effort into preserving the history of the region.
The Kirby Memoirs is the 21st book reproduced and published by him through his independent company, Australian Short Run Publishers.
“This book details the true history of Swan Hill,” Mr Itter said.
“So much of Swan Hill’s history is lost or distorted. People just don’t know about their own history and it scares me.”
To read more about this story, grab a copy of Wednesday’s Guardian (December 21).
