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Along the tracks of Cobb and Co. - The Roaring Days ! 

Author Hazel Johnson
Narrator Sam Gaston
Step into the ramping, roaring days when the Royal Mail was delivered by the legendary Cobb and Co. "Oh, they were good days—rough days, quart pot days, damper days, perhaps—but still, they were big, brave, generous days", as Henry Lawson so aptly put it. Days when the world was wide, and adventure beckoned at every turn.

Immerse yourself in an array of amusing anecdotes and unforgettable tales that embody the grit & graft of the age. Let the romance and poetic charm of those times sweep you away, breathing life into the spirit and stories of a bygone era.
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Embark on a journey that begins with the infamous ‘snake in the trousers’ tale—a legend that never fails to stir a chuckle. Venture through the extraordinary courage of Mrs. Mary Jinks, a mother of twelve who faced every challenge with unshakable resolve, and the tragic demise of swagman Tom McBride. Traverse deep, untamed creeks and billabongs—formidable obstacles that tested even the hardiest traveller. Relive the tense ‘Bail up!’ moments experienced by Cobb and Co. coach drivers, who wisely understood the perils of facing bushrangers, during the era spanning 1854 to 1924.

Through countless anecdotes, these stories illuminate the true spirit of the pioneers—their hard work, resilience, and boundless grit, shaping the fabric of early Australia. Every tale offers a glimpse into an era where determination, unyielding courage, and a hearty sense of humour flourished … “What would you like—lamb, ram, sheep, or mutton?”

Along the tracks of Cobb and Co. - The Roaring Days !




​All information evidenced-based and referenced
Postage & handling: One book $12;  Set of 6 Books $25.50
​Gift wrapping: $4.95
Print and eBook include the Presentation that was delivered by author Hazel Johnson during the Surat-Yuleba Cobb and Co. Festival, ​16-26 August 2024, celebrating 100 years since the last horse-coach trip of the world-renowned firm of Cobb and Co. ​had been run from Surat to Yeulba. ​The Presentation was attended by Her Excellency the Honourable Dr Jeannette Young AC PSM, Governor of Queensland, Professor Nimmo and other distinguished guests.

All information evidenced-based and referenced
Postage & handling: One book $12;  Set of 6 Books $25.50
​Gift wrapping: $4.95
Saddle up for an unforgettable ride through Australia’s untamed past!

From bushrangers and highway robberies to floods, fire, and thrilling coach accidents, this collection transports you into the roaring days of Cobb and Co., where adventure lurked at every turn. It’s not just about the coaches—it’s about the fearless men (and occasional women) who took the reins, guiding their passengers through treacherous terrain with wit, grit, and an unwavering spirit.

They weren’t merely drivers—they were storytellers, pioneers, and legends in motion. As Cobb and Co.’s first coach departed Melbourne and its last journeyed from Yeulba to Surat, Australia evolved, and these horse-drawn carriages played a crucial role in shaping a growing nation. They didn’t wait for roads, bridges, or crossings—they blazed their own tracks across the wild landscape. Rain, hail, mud, dust, or flood—nothing stopped Cobb’s drivers from completing their ‘stage’.

With over 800 drivers identified across Australia, this book ensures that the legacy of Cobb and Co. doesn’t fade into forgotten history. Recognised for its historical significance, the ‘Along the tracks of Cobb and Co.’ Book Series preserves an era of unyielding determination, fearless driving, and the enduring power of the postal service that bound a nation together.

Step back in time—ride the tracks, relive the adventure, and discover the legends that built Australia!

Along the tracks of Cobb and Co. - Back to the Beginning 
(Victoria & the Goldfields)




​All information evidenced-based and referenced
Postage & handling: One book $12;   Set of 6 Books $25.50
​Gift wrapping: $4.95
Gold fever. Untamed wilderness. Legends forged in dust and determination.
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Victoria, raw and wild, called to dreamers and fortune seekers. The gold rush ignited a frenzy—quiet settlements transformed into bustling hubs, teeming with ambition. The colony pulsed with energy, crowded with prospectors, their hopes glittering like the very gold they pursued.

Through this restless surge toward prosperity, Cobb and Co. thundered across the landscape their iconic coaches rattling over rugged tracks, carrying settlers, mail, and the whispers of adventure. From the thriving streets of ‘Melbourne the Marvellous’ to the desolate roads beyond, Cobb and Co. was more than transportation—it was a lifeline, a legend, an unstoppable force. Uncover riveting tales of stagecoach regulations, dramatic accidents, floods, fires, and the daring highway robberies that haunted the Cobb and Co. tracks. Discover how the release of rabbits reshaped the countryside forever.

Make a stop in Glenrowan, the site of the Kelly Gang’s infamous last stand. Cobb and Co. driver Bob Grover shared unexpected encounters with Ned Kelly himself, whose reputation didn’t stop him from accepting a quick nip of brandy in exchange for a few words. Relive the dramatic events leading to Kelly’s capture in 1880, culminating in his haunting final statement: "Ah, well, I suppose it has come to this."

Packed with gripping stories, rich history, and the untamed spirit of Australia’s past, this book brings to life a time where courage, resilience, and adventure ruled the road.

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​All information evidenced-based and referenced
Postage & handling: One book $12;   Set of 6 Books $25.50
​Gift wrapping: $4.95
Thunderous wheels, cracking whips, and the relentless rhythm of hooves pounding dusty tracks--Cobb and Co. didn’t just carry mail, they carried the heartbeat of a growing nation. As the gold rush fever spread and fortunes were made and lost, James Rutherford seized the moment, carving out a near-monopoly on New South Wales mail contracts. He established Bathurst as his stronghold, driving his company to greatness “with the wind at his back and not a hint of false pride or boastfulness.”
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This is a journey, not for the faint-hearted. Climb aboard the box seat of a Cobb and Co. coach and feel the pulse of adventure as it rattles over rickety bridges and plunges headlong into the unknown. Witness the bearded and moustached whips thundering into Bathurst in triumph, before time and ‘the iron horse’ overtook their reign.

Danger lurked along the way​--broken king-bolts, runaway horses, and shadowy figures stepping from the bush with the chilling cry of 'Bail up!' Was a Cobb and Co. coach truly involved in the infamous Escort Robbery? What really happened during the death of bushranger Hall?
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Take an extended stop at Abercrombie House, an Australian heritage treasure in Bathurst. Built by Major-General William Stewart in the 1820s, it has been home to the Morgan family for more than half a century where an original Cobb and Co. coach is on loan from Mr. Ray Green. Complete your journey with an appreciation of the rugged, untamed past, where the unyielding courage of the pioneers was the true test of character, and survival demanded hard work, grit, and unwavering resolve.

​All information evidenced-based and referenced
Postage & handling: One book $12;  Set of 6 Books $25.50
​Gift wrapping: $4.95
‘Tchk-tchk! Git-up!’ The journey continues​--feel the rhythm of the swingle-bars, the steady beat of hooves, and the bounce of sturdy leather springs as Cobb and Co. charges forward into history.

Step into the golden age of Cobb and Co., where dust swirled along bush roads, the sweet scent of ferns and eucalypti lingered on the crisp morning air, and pioneers carved their legacy into the land. Some say these were better days—a time of grit, adventure, and unbreakable spirit, when coaches thundered across the nation, connecting towns, delivering mail, and carrying the hopes of a growing Australia.

Along the western run, Cobb and Co.’s bustling mail changes, lively refreshment stops, and ‘Royal Hotels’ offered weary travellers a brief respite before pushing forward into the unknown. But as railways rose, the coaching industry slowly faded, main routes were abandoned, and country towns slipped into history. Once a vital institution, Cobb and Co. became a romantic, picturesque memory, its legacy etched into the fabric of Australia’s past.

On this journey, take an extended stop in and around Roma, where the echoes of Cobb and Co. still linger near the old slab hut, whispering stories of a time long gone.

Unlike other historical accounts, this book series preserves the voices of Cobb and Co.’s era, capturing authentic writings from the 1800s to mid-1900s, allowing history to speak for itself. You won’t just read about Cobb and Co.—you’ll experience it.

"Rain, hail, or shine—mud, dust, or flood—it was all the same to Cobb’s drivers." Whether riding with wild, quiet, or barely tamed horses, the journey was never predictable. Feel the dewy breath of early morning, the anticipation of townsfolk gathering as the coach arrived, its wheels rattling over rugged tracks. But beyond the thrill lay moments of sheer terror—the chaos of bolting horses, the heart-stopping sensation of being pitched clean out of the coach, or the battle against pitiless sleet slicing like a thousand sharp-edged knives, cold, wet, and unforgiving.

Oh! Those were the days—pulsating with life, brimfull of laughter, and etched into the untamed heart of Australia.
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​All information evidenced-based and referenced
Postage & handling: One book $12;  Set of 6 Books $25.50
​Gift wrapping: $4.95
The old stagecoach may have vanished from the roads, overtaken by the motor age, but the ghosts of its romantic past still linger.

Embark on a journey into the legendary beginnings of the ‘American Telegraph Line of Coaches’—the enterprise that became Cobb and Co. On January 1, 1854, John Murray Peck, Freeman Cobb, James Swanton, and John Lamber launched Cobb and Co. on the Bendigo road, sparking a legacy that would spread across all five Australian mainland states.

Travel through the golden age of coaching, the delivery of Her Majesty’s mail, and the rise of the iron horse, as you journey The Great Northern Road, the historic route connecting Sydney and Brisbane. Experience the thrill and danger alongside skilled and fearless whips (drivers) as you make an extended stop in and around Tenterfield, where coaches were frequently ‘bailed up’ and robbed by bushrangers.

Among them was the notorious Fred Ward, known as Thunderbolt—Tenterfield’s most infamous bushranger of the late 1860s and 1870s. A former ‘Cockatoo’ prisoner, Ward was one of the few to escape from the dreaded island, fleeing with fellow convict Britten on September 11, 1863.

This book brims with tales of adventure, gold rushes, bushrangers, resilient pioneers, drought, death, and flood. Cobb and Co. represents "a romance almost as old as Queensland itself"​--the rattle, trot, trot, clicketty clack of iron-shod wheels and hooves echoing through Australia’s past.
Thank you for your support in keeping Australian history alive. By purchasing these books, you are helping to uncover,
preserve, and share the rich tapestry of our nation’s past—ensuring that future generations can learn from it, appreciate it,
and be inspired by the stories that shaped Australia.
Your contribution allows history to speak for itself—authentic, untold, and waiting to be rediscovered.
A Presentation was delivered by author Hazel Johnson during the Surat-Yuleba Cobb and Co. Festival, ​16-26 August 2024, celebrating 100 years since the last horse-coach trip of the world-renowned firm of Cobb and Co. ​had been run from Surat to Yeulba. 

​The Presentation was attended by Her Excellency the Honourable Dr Jeannette Young AC PSM, Governor of Queensland, Professor Nimmo and other distinguished guests. 

Presentation available in print & eBook
'Along the tracks of Cobb and Co. - The Roaring Days !'
Photo: Professor Nimmo, Her Excellency the Honourable Dr Jeannette Young AC PSM, Governor of Queensland, and Hazel Johnson, at the Presentation by author Hazel Johnson, Cobb & Co Changing Station, Surat, 23 August 2024.

 Acknowledgement of Country
We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land on which the Cobb and Co. stage coaches travelled.
We pay our respect to Elders past, present and emerging, and,
​extend our deep respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.

Public Group - 'Cobb and Co.'