Year
2023
Client
Melbourne Royal
Services
Research and writing, editing, design, typesetting, proofreading, layout, project management and production.
For its 175th anniversary, Melbourne Royal chose to tell its story through the voices of the individuals who have shaped it since its humble beginnings as the Moonee Ponds Farmers’ Society in 1848. With first-person accounts from a staggering range of people – ringmasters to equestriennes, stewards to judges – ‘showies’ of all stripes make the book both personal and sweeping. Beautiful design and a huge collection of gorgeous images make this award-winning publication the kind of coffee-table book you can dip in and out of for hours.
The result is an exquisitely presented coffee-table book that celebrates the rich history of this iconic organisation.
Receiving the interview transcripts and research material for Melbourne Royal’s book was like being handed a treasure trove. I spent days sifting through first-hand stories, getting a sense of their individual voices and selecting from the many yarns they spun. It was fascinating to see where each individual person’s timeline intersected with the broader story, and a delight to see the whole thing come together in a beautifully bound coffee-table book.
Curating the visuals for Melbourne Royal’s book was quite the project! It took a good mix of artistic flare, historical know-how and technical skills to get it just right. The final product is a stunning collection of images that really bring the content to life, making it a richer experience for readers.