Ron Edwards always pursued an interest in alternative solutions to issues evolving from living in the 20th Century. Along with his early interest in Mud Brick construction he pursued an interest in traditional medicine.

During a trip to China to study tropical fruits, he discovered a book written in China on the use of fruits in traditional Chinese medicine. Ron Edwards translated the book into English, and published it as Fruit as Medicine. This was followed up with Vegetables as Medicine.

His interest in Shingon Buddhism saw Ron and his wife Anne journey to Japan to perform the pilgrimage to the 88 temples around Shikoku Island. His beautiful illustrations of poses are an appropriate addition to Kimm Woodward’s book on Animistic Yoga.

Ron and Anne Edwards both studied and enjoyed Etagami poetry, which when combined with both their skills as artists produce delightful books on a variety of subjects. Ron and Anne both studied art (and met) at Swinburn in Melbourne.

Horses were a favoured subject for Ron, and he produced a number of books which will assist the budding artist to tackle this challenging subject. His book on perspective explains the technical side of art in an easy to follow manner, and the two books on watercolour techniques – a medium he was particularly skilled with – will assist both the beginner and the practising artist.

The series of 10 Bushcraft books – the most extensive collection of work on the subject – is known worldwide. Ron Edwards extensively researched and utilised in his own life, the skills explained in these informative books. From simple money – saving diy devices for every day living to clever and practical farming and bush skills, the ten volumes are packed with information that remains relevant to today’s society.

Ron Edwards was awarded an Advance Australia Award in 1995 for his outstanding achievements in Literature/Bushcrafts. He was also awarded the title of Honorary Doctor of Philosophy by Swinburn University.

Ron Edwards first became interested in mud brick construction in 1950, when he bought a block of land in Eltham and began to build a mud brick home. A move to Far North Queensland meant it never did get finished, but his interest in the subject was not easy to extinguish. In 1977 a trip to China exposed Ron to an easy and efficient way of constructing with mud brick which had been used by the Chinese for centuries. Six trips to China later, Ron wrote Mud Brick and Earth Building the Chinese Way with Lin Wei Hao. He used the techniques he had learned to build his own expansive residence, studio and printery in the hills in Kuranda. His next book on the subject, Basic Mud Brick – re written as Mud Brick Techniques provided comprehensive instructions on making mud bricks and utilising them for construction. He followed this with a manual on rammed earth techniques. In 1997 Ron travelled to England to investigate the oldest and simplest form of earth building – Cob. He was able to meet some of the leading experts in the field, and attend practical Cob building sessions, which became the subject of his fourth book on the subject.

Ron Edwards’ interest in collecting and preserving Australian folklore and songs stems back to his early days as a University student. His passion continued throughout his life, and his published works on these subjects have led to the Rams Skull Press producing the most extensive collection of material on Australian Folklore in the country. His work in this area has ensured that this cultural wealth will not be lost.

Ron was appropriately rewarded with an Order of Australia Medal in 1992 for his services to Australian Folklore and Publishing through the Rams Skull Press. He was also President of the Australian Folklore Society.

If you have any queries regarding publications not mentioned here, please contact us.

Ron Edwards’ interest in Indigenous culture developed during the decades the family lived at Holloways Beach outside Cairns. Here, the family shared their beachfront existence with many Torres Strait Islander families, fishing and feasting with them. Ron spent an extensive period in the 1960s in the Cape York area finding and documenting Aboriginal Cave Paintings, courtesy of a Government Grant. His interest in preserving Australia’s heritage extended to the culture of the Torres Straits. He documented and recorded a vast collection of traditional songs from the various islands which will ensure these are preserved for future generations.

Ron had a genuine interest and fondness for the people and the culture of the Torres Strait, and he wrote a number of children’s books so that the children in those communities had some reading material that was relevant to them and their lives. He reproduced a Dictionary of Torres Strait Languages originally compiled in 1888/89, through necessity. The Rams Skull Press also publishes

Dr Anna Shnukal’s dictionary of Torres Strait Creole. Both dictionaries are illustrated by Ron Edwards, and are invaluable reference books on the various languages from the Torres Strait.

An extension of his leatherworking skills, Ron Edwards’ expertise with knotting both leather and rope led to the various books on knotting available here. A studio full of all manner of knotted objects hanging from the wall, and sitting on any available surface were testament to the amount of time he devoted to expanding his already vast knowledge on the subject.

Ron Edwards produced probably the largest library of instructional books on virtually every facet of leatherworking during his lifetime. Informative and clearly illustrated, the beginner through to the advanced leatherworker will treasure these small books bulging with information. The Edwards family have had an extensive history of involvement in the world of leatherworking, through their shop in Cairns, which supplied leather, tools and hand made leather goods for over 30 years.

Ron Edwards was an accomplished saddler, making his own saddles, bridles, halters etc for his own horses for decades. The family shop in Cairns also sold and repaired saddlery for many decades.

With a fondness for the tried and trusted Australian Stock Saddle and a preference for the quality and durability of hand -made originals, his methodology for making and repairing your own saddlery is simply described in his books on the subject.

Ron nurtured an interest in the sea and sailing ships for much of his life. When the opportunity arose, he accepted offers to crew and work on various sailing vessels which became subjects of small books. Always observant, he learned and developed many skills associated with life on and beside the ocean. The family lived for many decades on the beach front in Far North Queensland, catching fish with the local Islander population using drag nets and cast nets. Ron honed his rope knotting skills by constantly repairing the nets!

Ron Edwards and his wife, Anne, travelled extensively during their lives never sticking to the typical tourist routes. Consequently their trips were always full of interesting encounters and experiences which they both enjoyed putting into print. These books are full of sketches made by the two artists during their travels, and the texts are from notes made during their journeys.

In 1986 Ron led what is believed to be the first group of tourists to travel overland from north of Tibet, to Lhasa. Other trips entailed travelling through Japan on nothing more than folding bicycles which they took with them, and fulfilling requests to complete a mural on the wall of a cafe in Greece. Always interesting, their journeys will take you off the beaten track.

Ron Edwards was the founding member of the Australian Plaiters and Whipmaker’s Association which began in 1985. His motivation in forming the association was to ensure the knowledge that Australia’s aging generation of whipmakers held, was not lost. He could see that the best way to keep the skills of whipmaking – an important skill to outback Australians – alive was to record as much material as he could on the subject, and share the knowledge with interested people. This material has been published in a number of Ron’s books including some from the Bushcraft series.

This selection of small books which are packed with detailed instructions as well as illustrations, distil the complex skills of whip making into easy-to-follow steps that allow anyone who is a bit handy to have a go at making their own whip, at the same time extending the knowledge of the more advanced whip maker. Today the Australian Plaiters and Whipmakers Association has almost 300 members worldwide – a testament to Ron’s efforts in this regard.