Book Launch: Vagabond – the Story of Charles Sanger
Posted on 19 May, 2026 by Lori
A new edition of the Friends of Ironbark-Forests book, Vagabond, the Story of Charles Sanger will be launched by local author Robyn Annear at 12pm this Saturday (23 May) in the Castlemaine library foyer. The book was first written in 2008 by Bernard Slattery, Doug Ralph and Deirdre Slattery and published by Friends of the Box-Ironbark Forests.
Due to continued interest in the book FOBIF decided on a new edition after the first one sold out. With a new cover and layout, the 2026 version fleshes out some of the stranger themes in the story and suggests that Sanger’s case was not an isolated one.
The Sanger story
The book is the story of a Fryerstown man, Charles Sanger (1880-1953). ‘He was a dashing but elusive character. Journalists called him the Fryers Bushranger, but he never held up anyone with a gun, and the gun he did have never worked anyway. He served time in jail, but was well liked by ordinary people. He was one of the last of the bush hermits, and his story is also the story of the changing bush, of a time lost in history, and of a quiet country community that looked after its own.’
When: Saturday 23 May 12 noon
Where: Castlemaine Library Foyer
Everyone is welcome at the launch and refreshments will be provided. Vagabond will be available for sale for $18 on the night and also available at Stonemans Bookroom and the Castlemaine Visitors Information Centre after the event.
You can find out more about the book and how to purchase it online on the FOBIF website.
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