Alpha Orion Press is a small publishing company set up by Michael Moy in 2003. In that year Michael published a work of fiction, Men in straw hats, which sold in Australia and was translated and published in Russia. The three books that make up the idea to icon series were published between 2006 and 2008.
About the author and publisher: Michael Moy was born in Brisbane. After completing high school he studied science at the University of Queensland graduating in 1971. He has worked in the oil, chemical, computer and publishing industries in Australia and Canada and has also taught high school mathematics and science in both countries.
Michael first climbed Sydney Harbour Bridge in 2003 and thought it a fabulous experience. Wanting to know more, he looked for a book in the BridgeClimb giftshop and purchased what they had, a photocopied document several years old. For three years before that climb, Michael had been teaching at a school very close to Brisbane’s iconic Story Bridge and had incorporated the bridge into his teaching, even conducting student and staff tours on the pedestrian walkway. With the start of Story Bridge Adventure Climb in 2005, he did what a number of colleagues had been suggesting for some time: he published a book covering the history and engineering of Story Bridge. Story Bridge idea to icon was the first book published about Brisbane’s icon, which, like Sydney’s bridge, was designed by Queenslander John Job Crew Bradfield. While that book was being printed, Michael started work on the book he wanted to buy at BridgeClimb in 2003, Sydney Harbour Bridge idea to icon. The third book in the idea to icon series, Sydney Opera House idea to icon, was a natural next step, an amazing story about an amazing building. Michael has also developed an education program for Story Bridge Adventure Climb, details of which may be viewed at www.sbac.net.au .
