Gavin McLean bibliography entry
Why a regional maritime history belongs here
Gavin McLean’s The Southern Octopus appears in the Whale Song research bibliography. Its value to this library lies in the wider setting: Kāpiti’s whaling traffic formed part of the coastal and trans-Tasman networks through which people, goods and information travelled.
A regional maritime history can help readers understand shipping companies, ports and transport systems that shaped the nineteenth-century economy. It cannot be cited as evidence for a particular Kāpiti whaling voyage until the relevant passage and page have been checked.
The bibliography entry is therefore a bridge between the local vessel books and wider transport history.
The Southern Octopus is listed in the original Whale Song bibliography.
Maritime history through a wider lens
Gavin McLean’s historical work provides context for New Zealand shipping, ports and maritime labour. In WhaleLIBRARY it complements local station accounts by helping readers understand how small coastal operations fitted into regional and international transport networks.