This new publishing initiative is a welcome one for ASHAand for historical archaeology in Australasia, coming as it does at a time when the quantity and quality of major research is higher than ever before. For ASHA, making the commitment to publishing monographs on a regular basis complements the ongoing publication of short reports in the newsletter and longer refereed articles in the journal. For the field of historical archaeology in the region, the series fills a gap that has been evident for some time, as it will make the results of large projects available to a wider audience than has previously been possible. ASHA has always seemed the logical host for such a monograph series, but until now it has not been possible to bring together the various elements required to make this happen and I congratulate Martin Gibbs for having the vision and dedication to make this project a reality. I am grateful to Mary Casey, as General Editor, for her guidance and generosity in assisting with the process and I would also like to thank Wei Ming and Peter Saad of the La Trobe University Archaeology Program for their technical assistance.
On behalf of ASHA I would particularly like to thank Professor Jim Allen for allowing us to reproduce his thesis on Port Essington as the first volume of the series, and for graciously suffering the trials and tribulations that come with being a pioneer. The work is itself pioneering, as the first PhD thesis on a historical archaeology topic in Australia, and has more than stood the test of time to become a classic in the field. It is an appropriate study with which to launch this new series, and I am sure that it will be well received.
SUSAN LAWRENCE
President
ASHAx