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Along the tracks of Cobb and Co. - Jimmy the Whip
Bring Australian history to life in your classroom or library
A curriculum‑aligned book and learning resource for Years 5-7, written by a teacher with over forty years’ experience in education.
Designed around how teachers plan and how students genuinely engage, this resource offers rich, accessible content that works in real classrooms. The resource supports History and Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS) knowledge through inquiry‑based learning. The accompanying learning activities strengthen Literacy as a general capability through structured reading, discussion, and written responses, while also supporting Ethical Understanding and Personal and Social Capability through reflection on values, identity, resilience, and community in Australia’s colonial past.
About the book
Along the tracks of Cobb and Co. — Jimmy the Whip | A story grounded in real Australian history
Jimmy the Whip is a fast-paced, family-friendly adventure set during the Australian gold rush and the legendary era of Cobb and Co. The story follows gold seekers, travellers, and the Royal Mail as they navigate the dusty tracks, flooding rivers, and other challenges, including bail-ups by bushrangers—blending fictional characters with real historical figures, including Mary Jinks and Cabbage Tree Ned (Edward Devine).
The book is rich enough to support deeper learning across a range of year levels and abilities, engaging enough to draw in reluctant readers, and firmly grounded in the history that shaped modern Australia.
An underlying message of the book is that Grit + Graft = Resilience and Success—a theme that should resonate strongly with young readers and encourage perseverance.
Years 5-7 | Discover and Learn Edition
A ready-to-use classroom and library resource
The Discover and Learn Edition is a companion resource designed to take the hard work out of planning. It brings together the full narrative with a practical suite of teacher and parent tools, all aligned to the Australian Curriculum.
What's included
Curriculum-aligned | HASS
The Discover and Learn Edition supports teaching and learning across these key curriculum areas:
In classrooms and libraries
Already at work in Australian schools
The book is currently held in public libraries and has already been adopted by Years 5–7 classes as part of a school-wide commitment to increasing Australian history content.
About the author | Written by a teacher, for teachers
Hazel Johnson spent over forty years teaching in Australian secondary schools before turning her focus to historical research and writing full time. That classroom experience informs every aspect of the Discover and Learn Edition, ensuring the resource reflects how teachers plan and how students learn.
She is one of Australia’s foremost researchers on the Cobb and Co. era, author of eight books documenting the coaching routes, drivers, and stories that shaped colonial Australia.
Request a complimentary copy
We’d be delighted to send your school a complimentary copy.
If you’re a teacher or school librarian, Hazel is happy to provide a free, no‑obligation copy of the Discover and Learn Edition of Along the tracks of Cobb and Co. – Jimmy the Whip.
Get in touch
You’re welcome to contact Hazel directly by email or phone to arrange a copy for your school.
hazel@cobbandcotracks.com | +61 417 984 455
A curriculum‑aligned book and learning resource for Years 5-7, written by a teacher with over forty years’ experience in education.
Designed around how teachers plan and how students genuinely engage, this resource offers rich, accessible content that works in real classrooms. The resource supports History and Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS) knowledge through inquiry‑based learning. The accompanying learning activities strengthen Literacy as a general capability through structured reading, discussion, and written responses, while also supporting Ethical Understanding and Personal and Social Capability through reflection on values, identity, resilience, and community in Australia’s colonial past.
About the book
Along the tracks of Cobb and Co. — Jimmy the Whip | A story grounded in real Australian history
Jimmy the Whip is a fast-paced, family-friendly adventure set during the Australian gold rush and the legendary era of Cobb and Co. The story follows gold seekers, travellers, and the Royal Mail as they navigate the dusty tracks, flooding rivers, and other challenges, including bail-ups by bushrangers—blending fictional characters with real historical figures, including Mary Jinks and Cabbage Tree Ned (Edward Devine).
The book is rich enough to support deeper learning across a range of year levels and abilities, engaging enough to draw in reluctant readers, and firmly grounded in the history that shaped modern Australia.
An underlying message of the book is that Grit + Graft = Resilience and Success—a theme that should resonate strongly with young readers and encourage perseverance.
Years 5-7 | Discover and Learn Edition
A ready-to-use classroom and library resource
The Discover and Learn Edition is a companion resource designed to take the hard work out of planning. It brings together the full narrative with a practical suite of teacher and parent tools, all aligned to the Australian Curriculum.
What's included
- Warm-up activities
- Explicit identification of text structure and dramatic effects
- Word study, including punctuation, sentence construction, and parts of speech
- Exploration of literary devices used within the text
- Structured learning activities to support comprehension and analysis
- Discussion prompts that encourage:
- reading engagement
- historical knowledge and understanding
- values‑based and reflective conversations.
Curriculum-aligned | HASS
The Discover and Learn Edition supports teaching and learning across these key curriculum areas:
- Historical inquiry
- The gold rush
- Australia's changing environment and landscapes
- Language and literacy
- Identity and belonging
- Values and character.
In classrooms and libraries
Already at work in Australian schools
The book is currently held in public libraries and has already been adopted by Years 5–7 classes as part of a school-wide commitment to increasing Australian history content.
About the author | Written by a teacher, for teachers
Hazel Johnson spent over forty years teaching in Australian secondary schools before turning her focus to historical research and writing full time. That classroom experience informs every aspect of the Discover and Learn Edition, ensuring the resource reflects how teachers plan and how students learn.
She is one of Australia’s foremost researchers on the Cobb and Co. era, author of eight books documenting the coaching routes, drivers, and stories that shaped colonial Australia.
Request a complimentary copy
We’d be delighted to send your school a complimentary copy.
If you’re a teacher or school librarian, Hazel is happy to provide a free, no‑obligation copy of the Discover and Learn Edition of Along the tracks of Cobb and Co. – Jimmy the Whip.
Get in touch
You’re welcome to contact Hazel directly by email or phone to arrange a copy for your school.
hazel@cobbandcotracks.com | +61 417 984 455