I recently had the great honour of launching Andy Macqueen's book, The Frenchman: Francis Barrallier, life & journeys 1773-1853. I encourage people, in their spare time, to check out the book and the material that Andy has collected. A couple of weekends ago we gathered at the Burragorang lookout in Oakdale to hear Andy speak of his work and research and to celebrate his fantastic book. It was my great honour to launch the book and talk about Andy's work. A long time ago Andy, although he is a mountains man, was pursuing a career in water engineering and hydrology in the Northern Territory and Western Australia. As he puts it, he was called back to the Blue Mountains bush that he had come to love in his teens and university days, and he switched to a career in outdoor education.

Andy Macqueen has been active in conservation for 30 years, playing significant founding roles in the Friends of Blue Gum Forest, the Great Grose Weed Walk, Friends of the Colo and the Tasmanian Sea Spurge Remote Area Teams, or SPRATS, group. He has been on the National Parks and Wildlife Service's Blue Mountains regional advisory committee since 1996. He says that is too long, but he is a valued member of that committee. He has been involved extensively in research of remote Aboriginal cultural sites in the Wollemi. Andy is a lifelong member of the Springwood Bushwalking Club and a former president of Bushwalking NSW. He is a remarkable man.

Andy's interest in history stems from his love of the southern Blue Mountains—Gundungurra country—and his fascination with the journey of Francis Barrallier. He went from researching Barrallier's route to researching his whole life. In 1993 Andy published his first book, a biography of Barrallier. The Frenchman: Francis Barrallier, life & journeys 1773-1853 is a major rehash of that book, and it has much new content and important new perspectives. Andy was then hooked on history, particularly bush history. He went on to research and write books on the Grose Valley and the Wollemi as well as numerous historical papers until finally he returned to Barrallier. The Frenchman is his sixth book. It is a major reworking of the 1993 book offering new perspectives. I acknowledge that Andy and his work is supported by his life partner, Liz, and many in the Blue Mountains Conservation Society.

Whilst this book embraces Barrallier's whole life, its emphasis is on the intriguing 1802 expedition to the southern Blue Mountains. The expedition was probably doomed to fail from the start owing to the area that was chosen for the attempt. However, it was an impressive effort, winding up in extremely rugged country not far from Kanangra Walls. Although Barrallier failed in his objective to cross the mountains, the expedition was significant in that, unlike most other early explorers, Barrallier engaged Aboriginal guides and assistance. Many Dharawal and Gundungurra people were encountered. It is a unique first-contact story. Barrallier also made important observations of flora and fauna. Aside from the area that is now inundated by Lake Burragorang, most of the country that Barrallier traversed is still as he and Gundungurra people saw it.

In his book Andy has endeavoured to bring the Aboriginal people involved to life, more so than in any other account. They are not just names in some quaint tale. The book is a significant step forward in drawing together a number of cultural perspectives. It is a really important contribution to truth-telling. I acknowledge this good man and the fact that he also talked about us celebrating the World Heritage area and the reserves which now protect the cultural and environmental heritage of the area some 222 years later. On that day when we gathered to celebrate Andy's book, we also celebrated the fact that the Warragamba Dam is now not to be raised and therefore will not flood that beautiful area of the Gundungurra. Andy is a renowned historian and a good man, and it is my honour to talk of him a little today.