“The starting point for discussions of Australianness has long been Russell Ward’s The Australian Legend (1958) with its account of the myth of the Lone Hand, from which women are almost entirely absent. Even in the subsequent Pioneer myth, women have only a subsidiary role. This absence of women has often been decried, but any reading of the large body of literature by and about Australian women, particularly in the first half of the 20th Century, clearly demonstrates that a case can be made for a parallel myth, the Independent Woman, who makes her way without, and often despite, men”.
The above is an extract from my M.Litt dissertation.
The author, Bill Holloway, is an old white guy with degrees in Accountancy, Logistics and Literature, living the Lone Hand myth as a road train driver in the deserts of Western Australia.
Contact address: theaustralianlegend@gmail.com
The Australian Legend 
Hi,
Wild Dingo Press is a boutique publishing company in Melbourne, focusing on publishing the inspirational true stories of individuals who’ve overcome tremendous hardship (in the forms of war, torture, asylum seeking etc). We have a very interesting upcoming June release – a novel titled Crooked Vows (our first fiction title) by a first-time WA writer, John Watt. Through a compelling story, it’s both illuminating and apt in relation to the current revelations around the abusive behaviours of some Catholic priests. High profile Catholic writer, historian and broadcaster, Dr Paul Collins, has resoundingly endorsed it, so I’m wondering if you would be interested in having a look at proof pages with a view to adding your voice of approval and/or reviewing it. I’ve attached a Media Release for your information.
Let me know if you need further information,
Kind regards,
Leora E-G
Publishing Assistant
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Very stupid question, but does anyone watch Quigley Down Under in Australia, or is that just a U.S. thing?
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Not me, but then truck drivers don’t see much tv. I messaged psych daughter who has cable, no answer. (Geology daughter is bringing her kids up without tv so no help there).
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Have you thought of entering the Australian Women Writers Challenge? You don’t have to commit to writing many reviews by Australian women writers – I haven’t this year but I have exceeded my low expectations of myself. I am sure that the bloggers involved in the Challenge would enjoy hearing your views.
Coincidentally I also worked as an accountant, but I drifted into public relations then into history.
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I had ‘thought’ but have done nothing about it. I commented to Sue/ Whispering Gums recently that I’m up to 16 women (9 men) writer reviews this year. I’ll follow your link thanks and have another look.
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[…] here and on his blog ever since. If you’re likewise interested, I suggest you start with his About page and move on from there. Meanwhile, let’s give the floor to Bill […]
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Bill – thanks to the reference by WG – I have found your fascinating blog – the latest has references to Bathurst, Capertee and Glen Alice – and Port Macquarrie (sic) – Lake Innes. All with personal resonance. Even someone with my Scottish Granny’s given name – Williamina (known as Minnie or Min)! I’ve skimmed through the larger part of books about which you have written – and wish I could write so well. And positively – that’s the best thing of your reviews – your ability in picking out the illuminative sparkle!
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Thanks Jim! (and thanks WG). Is my spelling of Port Macquarrie wrong? Should be one r! I can’t check how it’s spelt in the book but I remember Annabella sometimes used McQ which the printer annoyingly reproduced as M’Q – often happens in Miles Franklin too.
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Greetings Bill:
I was merely noting that I was using the spelling which appeared each time you wrote it – so I simply assumed that that was how the writer had used it – not a mis-spelling by your good self. I live, by the way, in the City of Lake Macquarie – which – for people not listening too closely – is usually converted in their brains to Port Macquarie. I taught in and around Mudgee for a year (1978) after my wife and I had returned from 18 months around the world (more than half of which was spent in Madrid and in Munich – teaching English) – which included packing gherkins on the Muller Farm at Eurunderee (one farm distant from where Henry Lawson grew up – and places and names connected to the Reverend Ted NOFFS (of Kings Cross Wayside Chapel fame) – in Gulgong, in Rylstone (where a paternal great grand-father was born in 1853 – near to which his mother lies buried – 1854 – Carwell) and Kandos – a several visits to Glen Alice and Glen Davis – the Capertee Valley. Just recently on The Pathway to the Gods – walking above Amalfi in southern Italy – one of our six-member party was from Capertee – surprised when I mentioned I knew it)! I wonder in fact if Annabella used McQ/printed as M’Q because they were acceptable and commonly used abbreviations at the time – especially given both the variants as Macq/MacQ/McQ – and the pronunciation which glides over that intermediate ~c~ sound – compressed into the “Q” and disappearing. It’s not something I’ve particularly noted before…just suppositions here! Again, thanks for writing back. Jim
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Been looking in google, pretty sure the mistake is mine. Anyway hope you keep reading. There’ll be more local colour in a couple of weeks time – I’m expecting guest posts on Georgianna McRae (Melb) and Eliz Macarthur (Syd) as well as Rosa Praed (N. Qld)
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All good! Anyway – the posts you are alerting me to – all of interest – I remember as a young chap visiting the McRae Homestead somewhere down the Peninsula from Melbourne – and seeing Georgiana’s water-colours – of course Elizabeth “Farm” MACARTHUR – I recall taking a junior Australian History class on an excursion from Inverell to Sydney – Elizabeth Farm Cottage part of that visit. And We of the Never Never – Rosa PRAED!
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I’m assuming you’re all over this, Bill: https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/books/miles-franklin-s-secret-diary-discovered-20180304-p4z2rk.html
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For some reason – my response is being blocked/disallowed – both for you and WG, too (last night) – no idea why.
Loved the fact that I was linked in to this thread and the story of the recovery/discovery of Miles Franklin’s last lost diary! The background to the funding of her literary prize – and the part played in that by the eating of crusts! Amazing!
Jim KABLE
>
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Loved the fact that I was linked in to this thread and the story of the recovery/discovery of Miles Franklin’s last lost diary! The background to the funding of her literary prize – and the part played in that by the eating of crusts! Amazing!
Jim KABLE
I hope I have solved the Password matter…?
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Thanks Kate. My cousin Kay the librarian alerted me. I’m just thinking about how to make it into a post.
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The funny (nice) thing is that when I read the story, although I enjoyed it for what it was, my thought was immediately of you Bill and what you’d make of it. Which then made me have a little moment feeling thoroughly happy about the blogging community – here’s me, sitting in my lounge room in Melbourne reading the news, promoted to think of you, somewhere in the outback driving your truck (was I right?!).
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Exactly. I was doing a trip out to a mine near Balladonia, on the edge of the Nularbor. And, yes I think that way about the community too.
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Intruding here Wad, Kate. Very late December 1975 – my wife and I stopping the night in Balladonia – before driving on further west and down to Esperance – New Year’s Day swimming out at an extraordinarily beautiful Beach – about 100 kms from Esperance – back that night to the drive-in to see “Jaws” – and to discover that most of the underwater shark scenes had been filmed in the Bight ( further to the east – I presume South Australia – but in Great White Swim terms – just a few flicks of the tail! Shivers! And yes – Miles Franklin – what a writer – what a woman – and to leave such a legacy to support others – what generosity! Oh, I’m writing from Caves Beach just south of Newcastle – after two weeks on Kangaroo Island and in Adelaide for the Writers and other festivals. (Comedy/Fringe)
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Hi Jim, intrude away! And it’s Bill, WordPress adopted wad from my email address. I’m very jealous of your travels. I know Esperance well enough but have never been to the beaches east towards the Bight or west – Hopetoun/Kim Scott country (nor to KI for that matter)
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Sorry, BILL, for not keeping your name in my head – and which I’ve used with you several times already! Grr! Yes, it was after Balladonia when we reached Norseman that we turned south to Esperance. And Cape Le Grand that we drove out to for a bit of swimming. My wife’s next plan is a couple of weeks in Perth and the south-west – to the ~up region of Kim SCOTT!. End of May to mid-June. My English (Kentish man) grand-father first arrived in WA and spent some time in Wickepin (pre-Great War) – arrived in Sydney 1913 – aged 20. Last time in south-west WA was 1976 January. Though up in the Broome region in 1993 after my first return from an exchange to Japan – tracking people there – much help from Magabala books – to find connections to people I had been introduced to in Japan – who had spent years pearl-shell diving in the Broome etc waters. In fact it turned out that the woman I spoke to on the desk had been raised (a step-parent relationship) by the noted chap I had met in Taiji-Town in Japan. Then a sister-city to Broome. Small world stuff!
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Do you accept books for review?
The latest from Clan Destine Press – Billings Better Bookstore and Brasserie by Fin J Ross – might just be up your alley.
cheers
Lindy
Lindy Cameron
Publisher
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