Jacaranda Software was an Australian developer and publisher of educational computer games for children. It was based in

Brisbane Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the states and territories of Australia, Australian state of Queensland, and the list of cities in Australia by population, third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a populati ...

, Australia and published under the leadership of John Collins. The team worked as a department of Jacaranda-Wiley; the Australian imprint of American publishing company, Wiley. While it was considered initially as an experimental venture, it proved to be profitable from its first year through to its closure in the early 1990s. Jacaranda Software released titles for a range of computer systems, including the

Apple II The Apple II (stylized as ) is an 8-bit home computer and one of the world's first highly successful mass-produced microcomputer products. It was designed primarily by Steve Wozniak; Jerry Manock developed the design of Apple II's foam-mold ...

, Commodore 64,

Macintosh The Mac (known as Macintosh until 1999) is a family of personal computers designed and marketed by Apple Inc. Macs are known for their ease of use and minimalist designs, and are popular among students, creative professionals, and software en ...

Microbee MicroBee (or Micro Bee) was a series of networkable home computers by Applied Technology, which became publicly listed company MicroBee Systems Limited soon after its release. The original Microbee computer was designed in Australia by a team ...

and

BBC Micro The British Broadcasting Corporation Microcomputer System, or BBC Micro, is a series of microcomputers and associated peripherals designed and built by Acorn Computers in the 1980s for the BBC Computer Literacy Project. Designed with an empha ...

. After the department closed, former employees David Smith, Bruce Mitchell, and Steve Luckett continued to write software for schools, under the name Greygum Software. They bought remaining stock, rights, and equipment from Jacaranda. Popular Jacaranda titles included Goldfields, Kraken: a deep sea quest,

Desert Quest A desert is a barren area of landscape where little precipitation occurs and, consequently, living conditions are hostile for plant and animal life. The lack of vegetation exposes the unprotected surface of the ground to denudation. About on ...

and

Crossing the Mountains Crossing may refer to: * ''Crossing'' (2008 film), a South Korean film * ''Crossing'' (album), a 1985 album by world music/jazz group Oregon * Crossing (architecture), the junction of the four arms of a cruciform church * Crossing (knot theory ...

. Greygum Software closed in 2018 due to the retirement of its owners.

Releases

{, class="wikitable sortable" , - ! Title ! Year ! Known Versions ! References , - , Animal Rescue , 1989 , Apple II , , - , Bush Rescue , 1987 , Apple II, BBC , , - , Cardsharp , 1988 , Apple II, BBC , , - , Cave Surveyor , 1985 , , , - , Clockwise: Time activities for the whole primary school , 1992 , Apple II, BBC , , - , Crossing the Mountains , 1989 , Apple II, BBC , , - , Cunning Running , 1984 , Apple II, C64, Microbee , , - , Desert Quest , 1984 , Apple II, BBC, Macintosh , , - , Dinosaur Discovery , 1985 , Apple II, BBC , , - , Fleetfoot Express , 1992 , Apple II , , - , Gold-Dust Island , 1984 , Apple II, BBC, C64, Microbee , , - , Goldfields , 1986 , Apple II, BBC, C64, DOS, Macintosh, Windows , , - , Jacaranda Maths 10 Software , 1989 , , , - , Kraken: A deep-sea quest , 1989 , Apple II, BBC, C64, Macintosh , , - , Maths Bingo , 1991 , Apple II, BBC , , - , Paws , 1986 , Apple II , , - , Pieces of Eight , 1986 , , , - , Quick-Cartage Company , 1984 , Apple II, BBC, C64, Microbee , , - , Raft-Away River , 1984 , Apple II, BBC, C64, Microbee , , - , Scavenger Hunt , 1984 , Apple II, BBC, Microbee , , - , Sheep-Dog Trial , 1984 , Apple II, C64, Microbee , , - , Terra Australis: Voyages of trade and discovery , 1988 , Apple II, BBC , , - , Transformations , 1986 , Apple II, BBC , , - , The Tycoon Itch , 1986 , Apple II, BBC, C64 , , - , Vegetable Patch , 1987 , Apple II , , - , Vote 1 , 1986 , Apple II, BBC , , - , Wordsmith , 1985 , Apple II, BBC , , - , Wordswork , 1985 , Apple II, BBC , , - , Wheat Farmer , 1990 , Apple II, BBC , , - , Zoopak , 1987 , Apple II, BBC , {{Cite web, url = http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/16541413, title = Zoopak / created by Mike Matson with assistance from Judith Matson ...

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External links

Greygum Software
- stockists of several former Jacaranda Software titles
Using Computers in the Primary School by Rosemary Guttormsen (1987 Apple Computer Australia)
- Apple educational handbook mentions Jacaranda Software among others

References

Educational games Defunct technology companies of Australia