---

This book is an exploration of Western Australia s colonial history: one that examines and critiques two major historiographical approaches to the writing of such history, and makes the case for a new approach, which is then exemplified by a case study of colonial life in Greenough. It therefore consists of two component parts: 1) an examination of historiographical approaches and issues in the writing of Western Australia s colonial history; and 2) a case study of colonial life in Greenough. The first part traces the history of the Gentry tradition of Western Australian history writing and also establishes the existence of a liberal constitutionalist school within the State. The second part traces a new history of colonial life in Greenough: one that is set apart, in different ways, from the two established schools of Western Australian history.

---

Dr Simon Stevens completed a BA with First Class Honours and PhD at the Curtin University of Technology in Perth, Australia. He now teaches history and social justice units at the University of Notre Dame, Fremantle. He has had several articles on Western Australian history published.

---