Knowledge for a Nation: Origins of the Royal Society of New South Wales tells the early history of a learned society still active in the intellectual culture of 21st century Australia. The book begins with an account of Australia's first learned society, the Philosophical Society of Australasia (1821-1822), which is the Royal Society's enduring inspiration, if not its earliest incarnation. The Royal Society evolved from the Australian Society (1850-1851), through the Philosophical Society of New South Wales, which was re-badged Royal in 1866. Successfully reorganised a decade later, the RSNSW reached the zenith of its influence on the development of a colonial science community in New South Wales. Hopes and disappointments, conflict and camaraderie, challenges and achievements are all part of this story which highlights the society's initiatives in the cause of science, its all-male membership, the women who nevertheless contributed, and the society's glittering conversaziones. The book concludes in 1914, when a visit to Australia by the British Association for the Advancement of Science demonstrated international recognition for the colonial scientific community which the Royal Society had worked so long to help create.