Every valley, hill, mountain and plain: A history of the Anglican Diocese of Bathurst

The Diocese of Bathurst is as big as a small kingdom. It includes inland Australia's oldest church and its newest cathedral. It encompasses rugged uplands as well as vast outback plains; tiny outposts and well heeled cities. With warmth and objectivity, Ben Edwards and Ruth Frappell have embraced the challenge of weaving the diverse strands into a unified history. The work of country parishes and pastoral missions to far flung settlements belong to the same story as delicate ecclesiastical controversies'like the notorious Red Book case'and the exacting demands of a century and a half of social change. This is a history of many people, widely spread in time, distance and outlook. But it is their common encounters and shared aspirations that emerge as the source of the enduring strength of the Diocese.