Featured Publications
From Australia's wartime history to practical food production, Bluewater Press publishes books that inform, educate and inspire. Explore Ghost Below, Japanese Submarine Raiders, A Parting Shot, and Practical Hydroponics: Handbook for Home Gardeners.
Book Reviews
Read independent reviews of Bluewater Press publications from respected historians, reviewers and readers. Their insights provide an impartial assessment of the research, writing and historical significance of each book.
Gallery
Ghost Below
The remarkable true story of the Japanese midget submarine M24, from its 1942 attack on Sydney Harbour to its discovery more than 60 years later.
Japanese Submarine Raiders
A silent war on Australia's doorstep. An authoritative account of Japan's midget submarine attack on Sydney Harbour.
A Parting Shot
The dramatic story of the Japanese submarine bombardment of Sydney and Newcastle, and its place in the wider Pacific War.
Practcal Hydroponics
A practical, full-colour guide to growing healthy fruit, vegetables and herbs using hydroponic and soilless gardening techniques.
Re-imagining History
Midget submarine wartime exhibition tour to raise funds for the Naval Relief Fund. Newcastle Showground, 3-5 November 1942.
Featured Articles & Reels
Explore the stories behind the books through original articles and reels covering maritime history, commercial diving and practical horticulture.
Commercial Diving in the North Sea
Commercial Diving in Nigeria
Port Moresby Pipeline Project
About the Author
A lifetime of research, publishing and practical experience
Steven L. Carruthers is an Australian author, publisher, maritime historian and former Royal Australian Navy serviceman whose career has spanned military service, commercial diving, journalism and specialist publishing.
After serving in the Royal Australian Navy, he worked for many years as a commercial diver in the North Sea, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea and Australian waters. His experience beneath the sea fostered a lifelong fascination with maritime history and underwater archaeology, ultimately leading to more than four decades of research into Australia's coastal war during the Second World War.
Steven is the author of Australia Under Siege, Ghost Below: The Lost Submarine of Sydney Harbour, Submarine Raiders: A Silent War at Australia's Doorstep, and A Parting Shot: Shelling of Australia by Japanese Submarines 1942. His research combines meticulous archival investigation with first-hand knowledge of the marine environment and has contributed to the understanding and preservation of Australia's maritime heritage.
In 1991, Steven founded Practical Hydroponics & Greenhouses magazine, serving as publisher and editor for 27 years. During that time it became one of the world's leading specialist soilless culture publications, providing practical information to growers, researchers and educators throughout Australia and overseas. His latest gardening title, Practical Hydroponics: Handbook for Home Gardeners, distils more than three decades of practical experience into an accessible guide for home gardeners, schools and educational users.
Today, through Bluewater Press, Steven continues to write, research and publish books on Australian history, maritime heritage and practical gardening from his home on the New South Wales South Coast.
About Bluewater Press
Bluewater Press is an independent Australian publishing imprint dedicated to producing well-researched, practical and engaging books that inform, educate and inspire.
Founded by author, publisher and former commercial diver Steven Carruthers, Bluewater Press reflects more than four decades of experience in historical research, technical publishing and specialist writing. Its growing catalogue spans Australian military and maritime history, practical gardening and soilless culture, with future titles planned across a range of non-fiction subjects.
Every Bluewater Press title is built on careful research, clear writing and high production standards. Whether uncovering forgotten chapters of Australia's wartime history or providing practical guidance for home gardeners, the aim is the same—to produce books that readers will value, learn from and return to for years to come.
Bluewater Press proudly publishes Ghost Below, the Australian wartime history titles Japanese Submarine Raiders and A Parting Shot, and the practical gardening guide Practical Hydroponics: Handbook for Home Gardeners.