Establishing business enterprise in a tiny, remote penal settlement appears to defy the principles of sustainable demand and supply. Yet early Sydney attracted a number of business entrepreneurs, including Campbell, Riley and Walker. If the development of private enterprise in early colonial Australia is counterintuitive, an understanding of its rationale, nature and risk strategies is the more imperative. This book traces the development of private enterprise in Australia through a study of the antecedents, connections and commercial activities of early Sydney merchants.

Janette Holcomb is an Honorary Associate of the School of Humanities at the University of New England.

The Anthem-ASP Australasia Publishing Programme

Anthem Asia-Pacific Series