Surely the most comprehensive work ever published on the subject of Australian butterflies. This 2 volume set is expensive, but worth every cent.
The colour plates show photos of set specimens of every species, usually showing uppersides and undersides of both males and females, often with additional specimens of subspecies etc.
For each species there are larger black and white pictures, plus a description, details of variation, similar species, immature stages, larval foodplants, attendant atns (if applicable), life cycle, behavious, distribution and habitat.
I wish it could have been in full colour the whole way through, but the cover price of the book would have been astronomical.
Highly recommended.

A condensed version of Braby's tome, this excellent book is very handy in the field, as it contains the colour photos from the larger work but you don't have to go on a course of steroids before trying to carry it around in your backpack.