80,000+ Books in-stock in NZ ๐Ÿ“š

Auckland Bookstore open on Saturday & Sunday ๐ŸŽ‰

Gunyah, Goondie & Wurley

The Aboriginal Architecture of Australia
4.7 goodreads logo

Ratings/reviews counts are updated frequently.

Check link for latest rating.
( 20 ratings, 7 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Gunyah, Goondie & Wurley by Paul Memmott offers an in-depth exploration of Indigenous Australian architecture, delving into the cultural significance and diverse styles of traditional Aboriginal shelters. The book vividly portrays how these structures were ingeniously designed to interact with the environment, reflecting a sophisticated understanding of materials and living spaces. This insightful work provides a deeper appreciation of the richness and variety in Aboriginal architecture and its cultural heritage.
Read More
Format: Hardback
$13000
AVAILABLE WITH SUPPLIER Ships from our Auckland warehouse within 4-6 weeks

Found a better price? Request a price match

Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you have an interest in Indigenous Australian architecture and culture. It offers a fascinating exploration of traditional Aboriginal dwellings, insights into their construction techniques, and the cultural significance behind them, making it a must-read for those passionate about architectural history and cultural preservation.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Here is the definitive guide to Australian Indigenous architecture, comprehensively updated to showcase the flourishing Indigenous design practices reshaping Australia's architectural landscape.

The award-winning Gunyah, Goondie & Wurley: The Aboriginal Architecture of Australia is the only continental survey of this country's First Nations' innovative architecture. It explores the range and complexity of Indigenous-designed structures and spaces, from minimalist shelters to semi-permanent houses and villages, debunking false perceptions of early Aboriginal constructions and settlements.

Built on decades of research and fieldwork and richly illustrated with rare photographs, Gunyah, Goondie & Wurley offers insight into the lifestyles and cultural heritage of Australia's Indigenous peoples, and how they combine to have a dynamic influence on this country.

'Among Australia's great ethnographers, from Elkin to Merlan, Stanner to Sutton, Paul Memmott's long work with the great tribes of the Carpentarian gulf, and in particular his work on the ethnography of domicile and habitat in Australia, is a monumental achievement for which we can only express great esteem and gratitude.'
- Noel Pearson

'Anyone still thinking that terra nullius describes pre-colonial Australia should read this book. There are words and images here that should stop Australians in their tracks. Your country is a rich one, Australia, please learn her story, learn to love her.'
- Bruce Pascoe

'Ingenious insights into Aboriginal space, place and design.'
- Jackie Huggins

'An architecture which was invisible to white invaders turns out to be as complex as the religious laws and kinship rules of the society that produced it. I thoroughly enjoyed it.'
- Peter Carey

'This book should be the prescribed reference work for all involved in town planning, civil construction and especially housing and accommodation involving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander residents.'
- Marcia Langton

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Gunyah, Goondie & Wurley is praised for revealing the complexity of Aboriginal architecture, which was often overlooked by settlers. The book challenges misconceptions about pre-colonial Australia and emphasises the richness and depth of its history and cultures. Paul Memmott's work is highlighted as a significant contribution to the understanding of Aboriginal lifeways, celebrated for its deep ethnographic insights into space, place, and design.

Book Hero reading reviews

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781760762513

Publisher: Thames and Hudson (Australia) Pty Ltd

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 25 October 2022

Country: Australia

Imprint: Thames and Hudson (Australia) Pty Ltd

Illustration: Illustrated throughout

Contributors:

  • Foreword by Marcia Langton

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 216.0mm

Height: 280.0mm

Weight: 1640g

Pages: 440

About the Author

Professor Paul Memmott AO is an anthropologist and architect. He founded the Aboriginal Environments Research Centre at the University of Queensland (School of Architecture and Institute for Social Science Research), where he has been Director for several decades. His research interests encompass Aboriginal sustainable housing and settlement design, Aboriginal access to institutional architecture, Indigenous constructs of place and cultural heritage, vernacular architecture, social planning in Indigenous communities, cultural change and architectural anthropology. Memmott also has extensive professional anthropological experience in Aboriginal land rights claims and Native Title claims.

More from Arts & Culture

View all

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 80,000 books and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.

Our Gifting Service

Our Gifting Service

Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.