Tim Ross celebrates Australia’s golden age of local design in new book

What a Ripper! has been be published in August 2025. The volume pays tribute to 60 everyday objects that shaped Australian domestic life between the 1950s and 1990s, an era whose design and manufacture are captured by Ross as being proudly local.

Ross, a longtime promoter of mid-century Australian culture through his work in media and live performance, curates a selection of objects that speak to a period defined by suburban growth, home entertaining and distinctive national identity. From plastic Décor plates and Esky coolers to Wiltshire Staysharp knives and Café Bar coffee machines, the book highlights the ingenuity and cultural resonance of designs once common in Australian homes.

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The publication includes stories such as the Queen’s unexpected role in the creation of Aerogard, the rise of the wine cask in the 1980s and the popularity of campaign icons like ‘Life. Be In It.’ Visuals are supported by colourful photography and first-hand accounts, including cultural anecdotes involving figures like Princess Diana and Phillip Adams.

Described as a mix of pop-culture chronicle and design retrospective, What a Ripper! underscores the creativity of Australia’s industrial design sector, often under-recognised in global narratives. Ross’s nostalgic and informative take positions these once-ordinary items as icons of national character, encouraging renewed appreciation for the country’s design history.

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