A Blended House The Legislative Council Of Victoria 1851-1856

Biography & Memoir History Australiana

Ray Wright’s A Blended House explores the turbulent birth of Victoria’s Legislative Council between 1851 and 1856, when gold-rush wealth and colonial ambition collided to create Australia’s first hybrid parliament. This illustrated reference, published in 2001, charts how miners, merchants and pastoralists forged a unique upper house that still shapes Australian politics today.

Ideal for collectors of Australian political history, the 200-page paperback is clean inside with no writing or dog ears; only light cover scuffing hints at shelf time. Wright’s meticulous research and period images make the era’s factional deals, constitutional crises and public protests feel immediate without ever slipping into dry textbook prose.

Young adults tackling VCE Australian history and seasoned researchers alike will value this concise guide to pre-federation law-making. The clear structure and extensive citations turn a potentially niche topic into an engaging window on colonial democracy, goldfields representation and the long campaign for responsible government in Victoria.

This gently used copy offers an affordable entry point for anyone building a library of Australian political biographies, historical reference works or antiquarian Australiana.