'Reflections on a Timeless Sea' book launch: Professor John Burgess

Maritime Museum Tasmania proudly presents an evening with Professor John Burgess, curator, editor and author, where he'll talk about about the life of his father, Captain RJ (Dick) Burgess, and his insights into the history of Bass Strait seafaring and island life from the 19th to the mid-twentieth century.

John Burgess’s Reflections on a Timeless Sea brings together the history of generations of Burgess seafarers and their ships. Dick Burgess’s account of training as a Master Mariner, and his long career working Bass Strait and visiting island communities aboard the Julie Burgess, charts a distinctly Tasmanian saga. Paired with the diaries and artwork of his wife, artist Deda Burgess, these reflections weave a tapestry of memory and maritime tradition, capturing the lives of families shaped by weather, tide, and the shared experience of those who sailed and settled the strait and its islands in the 19th and early 20th centuries.

The evening will open with refreshments and an opportunity to browse and purchase copies of the book. Official proceedings will begin with a short reading, followed by introductory remarks from the author.

The launch will include an address by Jo Cameron on behalf of Aunty Patsy Cameron. Dr Dan Norton will speak to the character of Captain Burgess, followed by reflections from Museum President Chris Tassell on Dick’s contribution to maritime history and the significance of the book.

The formal programme will close with a final reading, after which guests are welcome to continue mingling and purchase copies of Reflections on a Timeless Sea.

“I hope the reflections shared in these stories will speak to anyone drawn to the sea — the casual reader in search of a good yarn, and the historian seeking first-hand insight into the now lost rhythms of seafaring and island life in Bass Strait.” — Captain RJ Burgess

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

Get App

Host or Publisher Maritime Museum Tasmania