John Ogden Introduces Saltwater People of the Broken Bays

Berkelouw Books congratulates Cyclops Press on the publication of the beautiful new book Saltwater People of the Broken Bays.

We asked Cyclops Press founder, John Ogden, to tell us a little about Saltwater People of the Broken Bays. This history book looks at the relationship the people of Sydney’s northern beaches have with ocean. Covering the area from North Head, in the south, to Barrenjoey Headland, in the north, it celebrates the Broken Bays as the birthplace of Australian beach culture – where beach bathing, body surfing, surf life-saving and board riding all began in this country. John explained that the story starts with the lives of the original Saltwater People, the indigenous population who swam and fished the northern beaches. It also looks at the attraction of the area for poets, artists and architects who have been inspired by the natural beauty of the area, and the emergence of surf-based industries in media and board-shaping. The people and the beaches are celebrated with a lavish art program and hundreds of photographs. You can see the full interview with John Ogden here.