In Randolph Stow's home state of Western Australia there was once a famous bushranger (or highwayman) called Moondyne Joe, a highly comic character who was quite remarkable at escaping from prison but was otherwise very dim-witted and accident-prone. He had a hideout in the Moondyne Hills, on land belonging to Stow's great-grandfather, and according to family legend was once hidden from the troopers under his great-grandmother's bed.
From the author's nostalgic affection for these and other family legends grew this now classic story of Captain Midnite, a young man who wasn't very bright, and his five good animal friends who helped him in his bushranging exploits.
For this new edition, the text has been entirely re-designed and Ralph Steadman has re-created and added to his original illustrations, which catch so perfectly the humour of the text.