author
Edward Wilson Landor
1811–1878
Best known for a sharp, lively account of early colonial life in Western Australia, this English-born solicitor turned his experiences into writing that still stands out for its wit and candor. His work blends travel, observation, and satire in a way that feels surprisingly modern.
1 Audiobook
The Bushman — Life in a New Country
by Edward Wilson Landor
About the author
Born in England in 1811, Edward Wilson Landor trained in law and became a solicitor before setting out for the Swan River Colony in Western Australia. He was part of the difficult early years of the colony, and his time there gave him material for the writing he is remembered for today.
Landor is best known for The Bushman; or, Life in a New Country (1847), a satirical and partly autobiographical portrait of colonial life. He also wrote other books, including Adventures in the North of Europe and the novel Lofoden; or, The Exiles of Norway, showing a range that went beyond memoir into travel writing and fiction.
Alongside his literary work, he continued his legal and public career, later returning to Western Australia and serving in official roles there. He died in Perth in 1878, leaving behind a small but distinctive body of writing shaped by both professional life and firsthand experience on a colonial frontier.