Gould’s Tasmanian Book of Fishes (1832)
Tasmanian convict William Buelow Gould’s Sketchbook of Fishes 1832
EXTRACT from ABC TV (Aus) News 2 April 2011
Report: Linda Hunt
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/04/02/3180515.htm
A convict sketchbook created in Tasmania in 1832 has gained international attention.
Tasmanian convict William Buelow Gould’s Sketchbook of Fishes has been recognised as a document of world significance.
At a ceremony in Hobart last night the sketchbook was inscribed on the UNESCO Australian Memory of the World Register.
For historic material, it is the equivalent of World Heritage Listing.
Gould’s watercolour sketches depict some of the earliest species identified in Tasmanian waters, including the unique spotted hand fish.
The CSIRO’s Peter Last says some of the information is still used by scientists today.
“In fact some of the fish he collected at the time and drew at the time we barely know much about these days.”
Gould and his sketchbook were immortalised in an award-winning novel by Tasmanian author Richard Flanagan.
The State Library of Tasmania has digitised the sketchbook: view it here.
