The Discovery of Australian History presents the lives and work of ten of our early historians who pioneered the academic discipline of Australian history. The path was not an easy one. The times and the institutions were conservative, resistant to change and new direction. The consequences for a number of these historians were tragic. As we approach the centenary of federation, this book reminds us that we are part of the continuum of history. Our present concern with establishing a new identity is reflected in the struggles of the historians presented here.