SHACK: In Praise of an Australian Icon

ARCHITECTURE Australiana

In Australia, shacks have become our protest against the brick veneer, the place where we unwind on holiday, the workshop that feeds our soul. Photographer Simon Griffiths has traveled the countryside, from Jericho in Tasmania to the remote coast of Broome, to bring us images of shacks that are both familiar and exotic. We meet the shack dwellers—a mix of artists, environmentalists, fishermen, home builders, and socialites—and experience the pleasure of inhabiting spaces that are at once monuments to self-expression and symbols of old-fashioned common sense. Beautifully put-together, Shack is a book that takes us back in history, out into the remote reaches of the famous Australian landscape and inwards to connect with our common desire for retreat and renewal.

“He captures beautifully the pioneering, even rebellious, spirit of these humble buildings and those who use them.”

Nigel Bartlett, Belle Magazine

“Griffiths’ new book is a collection of stunning photographs of 38 intriguing shacks … It is simple and enjoyable – much like the shack itself.”

Laura Phillips, West Australian

“Griffiths has … snapped some of the most eccentric, beautiful and isolated shacks the country has to offer. All of them are captured sublimely by Griffiths’ photography.”

Anthony Gough, Courier Mail

“An ode to the Aussie DIY spirit.”

Amanda Keenan, Weekend West

“A superb book exploring that very Australian shelter, the shack.”

Australian Coast to Coast Country Style

“Australia’s most distinctive and fascinating shacks are brought to life.

• 201 p. : col. ill. ; 24 cm.

First Edition #0119/0520/311023