A photo of Lou Rae sitting in an armchair, cradling his newly-born granddaughter, Gracie. Lou, with pale skin and short white hair and beard smiles up at the camera while Gracie sleeps in his arms. Credit courtesy of artist.

Lou Rae has had a strong interest in the West Coast of lutruwita/Tasmania since the mid-1970s. Since 1983, he has written nine books on Tasmanian railways, mining, tourism and industrial heritage.

In 1991, Lou was awarded a Churchill Fellowship to study railway tourism and heritage in the UK. He worked as a land valuer and economist and was Tasmanian Valuer-General from 2000–2007. He completed a Doctor of Philosophy at the University of Tasmania in 2004, his topic being about Mt Lyell Mining and the local railway company's isolation, innovation and domination of the region.

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The Unconformity acknowledges the palawa people as the original and traditional custodians of lutruwita/Tasmania. We commit to working respectfully to honour their ongoing cultural and spiritual connections to this land.