Patricia Shaw embarked on her fiction writing career at the age of 52. Her extensive body of work, often centering on the settlement of the Australian hinterland, earned her the moniker "Australia's Chronicler." While her novels achieved significant popularity, particularly in Germany where she was nicknamed "The Frankfurt Poet," her distinct literary voice continues to resonate. Shaw brings a profound exploration of life on the frontier to her narratives, capturing the spirit of Australian settlement with remarkable empathy and storytelling prowess.
Gilly the duck embarks on a heartfelt adventure to find love after being discovered on a toy store shelf by a magical lady. His journey unfolds as he seeks companionship, showcasing themes of friendship and belonging. Throughout his travels, Gilly encounters various characters, each contributing to his quest for connection and acceptance. This charming tale explores the importance of love and the lengths one will go to find it.
A family's struggle unfolds in a wild land as Austin Broderick faces the threat of losing his sheep station, Springfield, to Parliament. His son Harry, a politician, is their only hope. Meanwhile, the arrival of Reverend Billings brings further troubles, as he deceives the Aborigines and takes three young boys under false pretenses.
Set during the gold rush, this story follows Clem Price and his sister Alice as they manage their father's sheep station in Western Australia. Clem, determined to succeed despite his inexperience, marries Thora, who is pregnant by another man. As he seeks fortune in the gold rush, Thora's discontent leads to a dramatic and life-altering reunion.
A powerful testament to the human spirit, STORM BAY looks back to the early days of Van Dieman's Land and the thousands of prisoners who suffered to create a great State and earn the respect of a nation
The Hamilton and Oatley families, the owners of massive cattle stations in Australia's Northern Territory, rely on the annual monsoons to restore their parched land after the long, exhausting dry season. But this year the ominous storm clouds only serve to remind them of trouble brewing - an Aborgine guerilla fighter in the district with some of his men is causing havoc indiscriminately and placing both Zack Hamilton and William Oatley in great danger. As the days drag on, the Aborigines' struggle for survival involves them all in a vicious waiting game until men with revenge in their hearts have to face the truth about themselves.
A tumultuous story of revenge and betrayal from 'one of the foremost writers of Australian historical novels' says Historical Novels Review
Ten years after he first took shelter with the Queensland Aborigines, Jack Drew - an escaped convict - has decided the time has come to return to civilisation. He finds employment on a back-country farm called Emerald Downs, and when the owner, Major Ferrington, is ordered to roust the Aborigines who have been terrorising the area, Jack is horrified to find he must go with him as a scout. The farm is left in the hands of Adrian Pinnock - the brother of Major Ferrington's fiancée, Jessie - but when Jessie herself insists on accompanying him dealings on the once well-ordered estate take a very different course. It soon becomes clear that the shattering events of these frontier times will give new meaning to all their lives...
Exploring the theme of uncertainty in dynamic situations, the book delves into the creative potential that arises from engaging with events as they unfold. It approaches this concept through the lens of complexity theory, highlighting how such participation can lead to innovative outcomes and deeper understanding.
Father Beitz has a dream. From his home in 1870s Hamburg, he plans to pioneer an idyllic German community in faraway Australia, in a backwoods hamlet, barely settled, called Bundaberg. He soon finds other dreamers eager to join him, thrilled by the prospect of a sunny clime, cheap arable land, and their own Lutheran society.But when they arrive they find the land, bought for them by Father Beitz, is nothing but a jungle, and before long it seems the trials of their new home may force the community to disintegrate. As time passes, a combination of courage and determination carries the pioneers beyond their fears, but a new threat awaits. Only an elderly Aborigine mystic sees the evil that threatens them, but can he warn them in time?
When Emilie and Ruth Tissington find themselves destitute in London, they set sail for Australia where they have been offered positions as governesses. After a traumatic voyage, they arrive to find their jobs do not exist. Then Emilie meets charming Mallachi Willoughby, and there is trouble ahead.