Russell Drysdale and Jock Marshall's great journey through the Australian outback is dotted with a variety of unique characters, each with a particularly dry Australian sense of humour. Drawings by Russel Drysdale.

The journey is a zoological expedition of some 10,000 miles around Australia, West Coast and inland, by two teams of hard working scientists. Along with his lusty humour, Marshall is blessed with a rare appreciation of nature's ways, her forms, colours and movement, that inspire him at times to notable writing. (J.T., reviewer).