"The Oxford Companion to Australian History draws on the latest scholarship and covers the people, institutions, and events that have shaped Australian society, politics, and culture. It is edited by three of Australia's finest historians - Graeme Davison, John Hirst, and Stuart Macintyre - and includes contributions from 317 scholars and writers throughout Australia." "The Companion contains approximately 1600 entries, ranging from essays of up to 2000 words to succinct, factual entries of 100 words. There are entries on politicians, colonisers, visionaries, newspaper barons, industrialists, explorers, writers, artists, and scientists. There are numerous extended essays on key facets of our national life - political, social, cultural, scientific, military, and economic. Readers will find incisive entries on such matters as art, capital punishment, gambling, language, literature, military history, republicanism, and reconciliation. This edition contains new and revised entries to take account of events since the book was first published in 1998"--Jacket.