This book investigates the evolution of environmental management practices in Australia from the onset of European settlement in 1788 through the early twentieth century. Joseph Michael Powell, a scholar of historical geography, examines the shifting attitudes toward the Australian landscape held by colonial administrators, settlers, and commercial interests. He argues that the tension between resource exploitation and early conservation efforts defined the nation's developmental trajectory during this formative period.

Experts recognize this work as a foundational survey for understanding the historical roots of Australian environmental policy. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose and the author's meticulous use of historical records to frame the development of the Australian continent.