The Canning Stock Route

History Australiana Travel & Exploration

The Canning Stock Route by Australian Geographic charts the world’s longest historic cattle trail, a 1,850 km ribbon of desert track that slices through Western Australia from Wiluna to Halls Creek. This richly illustrated 1992 paperback blends biography, geography and travelogue to show how the 1908 drovers and later travellers endured heat, isolation and thirst across the vast Great Sandy and Gibson Deserts.

Collectors prize the lift-out map tucked inside, letting armchair adventurers trace every well and sand dune the drovers relied on. Over 100 photographs, maps and archival sketches illuminate the Dreaming stories, survey expeditions and modern 4WD treks that keep the legend alive. The narrative speaks to ages 9–12 through adults, pairing classroom-ready facts with campfire drama.

This 137-page ex-library-free copy shows its journey: a 7 cm tape-repaired tear on the cover and first page, cover curl and corner bumps, plus light page creases that never obscure text or images. It remains a sturdy reading and reference copy for Outback enthusiasts, and the intact pull-out map still unfolds for wall display.