In Fremantle Prison six Irish Fenians are alone, half a world away from home. But their powerful friends in America have not forgotten them. Danger, excitement and daring — this is an extraordinary true story.

This new release of The Catalpa Escape coincides with the 150th anniversary of the last convict ship, Hougoumont, to arrive in Australia.

Joy and Mike Lefroy researched at length the famous 1876 Fremantle Prison escape. While only a selection of this information could be included in the original picture book, the Information and Activities booklet provides access to more information than ever before.

It features a range of teaching materials tailored for the Australian Curriculum and School Curriculum and Standards Authority (SCSA). Information includes reference materials and primary and secondary resources.

Click here for virtual and augmented reality activities that link literature with history.

To purchase your copies of The Catalpa Escape and Information and Activities contact us here
The Catalpa Escape - $18
Information and Activities - $12
Plus postage and handling

A picture book Howzat!  - illustrated by Liz Anelli - published by Walker Books Australia in September 2014. The book follows a game of cricket that begins in the morning in a small village in England and then bounces around the world to finish outside a grand stadium in India as the sun is going down...

This is a true story of a treasure lost at sea and maritime archaeologists looking for secrets from the past. Their patient detective work at last reveals the surprising story of the ship and its captain, and a desperate episode in Australia’s maritime history.

In 2010 SHIPWRECK AT MADMAN'S CORNER - written by Mike Lefroy, photographs by Patrick Baker and illustrations by Joe Bond was re-published by the Western Australian Museum.

A story of a poor boy from Yorkshire, born into a farming family but destined for so much more. It’s also the story of a coal ship purchased by the British Navy. Together they sailed off the map and charted half the world.

In 2010 CAPTAIN COOK AND THE ENDEAVOUR written by Mike Lefroy with illustrations by Julian Bruere was published by Black Dog Books

On 19 November 1941 HMAS Sydney II was sunk by the German raider Kormoran. On board were 645 young Australians sailors. None survived.  

This is the story of the battle between two ships and the clues that were pieced together to lead to the discovery of the watery graves of the Australian and German sailors.

In 2009 HMAS SYDNEY – THE MYSTERY OF AUSTRALIA'S GREATEST NAVAL DISASTER written by Mike Lefroy with illustrations by Dean Jones was published by Black Dog Books.

“I would like to see Mike Lefroy’s book in schools where its subject matter could, I believe, inform younger Australians in a continuing way, of a saga that contributes to the freedom that we all enjoy today.”

David Angell
Participant in the History in a Coffee Cup lecture series at Claremont Library 19 November 2013

The Pipeline CY O’Connor Built tells the story of the Mundaring to Kalgoorlie pipeline designed by Engineer-in-Chief CY O’Connor. The pipeline carries fresh water from the hills on the outskirts of Perth to the eastern goldfields in Western Australia, a distance of 560 kilometres. It took five years to build and was completed in 1903. Today it is still in use and supplies water through 8000 kilometres of pipe to almost 100,000 people and 6 million sheep throughout the goldfields and surrounding agricultural areas.

Written by Joy Lefroy and Diana Frylinck, illustrated by Marion Duke and published by Fremantle Press 2003. Children’s Book Council Notable Book 2003

Contact us to purchase a copy

As a special birthday treat, Cassie is allowed to fly with Uncle Bill to the island. But once they are out over the ocean, trouble strikes.

Who will find them first: the rescue team or the creature from the deep?

In 2003 SPLASHDOWN written by Mike Lefroy and illustrated by Liz Alger was published by Thomson Learning Australia.

“Kristie we are drifting!”
When a fishing boat collides with the mooring buoy of Sea Witch, Kristie and Jez find themselves alone in the dark ocean…

In 2001 SEA WITCH written by Mike Lefroy and illustrated by Liz Alger was published by Thomson Learning Australia.

Imagine a ship being built right outside your window.
Before long Duyfken will be ready to set sail for adventure, just like another little ship that sailed across the ocean many years ago…

In September 2000 THERE'S A SHIP OUTSIDE MY WINDOW written by Mike Lefroy and illustrated by Loma Tilders was published by Thomson Learning Australia.

A true story of a treasure lost at sea and maritime archaeologists looking for secrets from the past. Their patient detective work at last reveals the surprising story of the ship and its captain, and a desperate episode in Australia’s maritime history.

In July 1999 SHIPWRECK AT MADMAN'S CORNER written by Mike Lefroy, photographs by Patrick Baker and illustrations by Joe Bond was published by Omnibus Press.
(Notable Australian Children's Book award - Book Council of Australia 2000)

This is the story of the little ship Duyfken that began the map of Australia, and the construction of a museum standard replica of Duyfken in Fremantle.

The book is written in 3 languages – English, Dutch and Indonesian – reflecting the international nature of the project.

In May 1998 THE TREES THAT WENT TO SEA written by Mike Lefroy and illustrated by Rick Martin was published by the Duyfken 1606 Foundation.

To a tree climber who loves to spy on neighbourhood happenings, a London plane tree is a perfect perch. To a fussy neighbour who hates dead leaves and plants that don’t produce food, it’s a perfect pest.
Who wins?

In May 1998 MY FAMILY TREE written by Mike Lefroy and illustrated by
Deborah Baldassi was published by Era Publications, South Australia.

In March 1998 CAPTAIN COOK'S ENDEAVOUR, a teachers' information and students' activities kit written by Mike Lefroy, illustrated by Rick Martin and published by the HM Bark Endeavour Foundation was released in the USA to coincide with the visit of HM Bark Endeavour to the east coast of North America.

Everything that goes up must come down…eventually!

In March 1997, WHAT GOES UP? written by Mike Lefroy and illustrated by Belinda Knell was published by Era Publications, South Australia.

Izzy surfs the net and shoots hoops with her newly discovered friend Isaac, a man from another place and another time.

In February 1997 IN YOUR DREAMS ISAAC! written by Mike Lefroy and illustrated by Gaye Sprenglewski was published by Era Publications, South Australia.

In August 1994 ENDEAVOUR: A pictorial record of the building of the replica of HM Bark Endeavour edited by Mike Lefroy was published by the HM Bark Endeavour Foundation.

Gino is bored. There’s no one to play with. How can he get to the park?

In 1994, GINO GINO written by Mike Lefroy and illustrated by Leanne Fleming was published by Sandcastle Books (Fremantle Arts Centre Press).

Our dog Jenny is famous because she piggybacks our guinea pigs around the garden.

But I’m only famous for my elbow.

In 1993 Sandcastle Books, the children's imprint of the Fremantle Arts Centre Press, Western Australia, published ROSA'S FAMOUS ELBOW written by Mike Lefroy and illustrated by Peter Kendall.
(WA Premier's Book Awards for Children's Literature, 1994)

COOK'S ENDEAVOUR – A voyage of discovery Across the Curriculum
is an education kit incorporating a detailed computer simulation of the voyage of HM Bark Endeavour. The kit was distributed to all Australian secondary schools in 1989 as part of the education program highlighting Captain Cook’s voyage on HM Bark Endeavour and the construction of the replica ship Endeavour in Fremantle.
COOK'S ENDEAVOUR was designed by Bruce Dixon with Paul Duggan, Mike Lefroy and Sarah Peckham.

At four-thirty in the morning during the season, Gunna has his brain kick-started by an alarm clock…

A story about a salmon fishing team on the south-coast of Western Australia.

In 1988 the short story, GUNNA, by Mike Lefroy received a commendation in the national ABC State of the Art short story competition and was published in the ABC/ABA  FICTIONS 88, a collection selected by Frank Moorhouse.