From Stone and Snow to Timber and Wine
is a sweeping family memoir of migration, resilience, and quiet courage.
When war and hardship shadow the mountains of northern Italy, the Palandri family leaves the stone houses and snowy peaks of the Apennines for the raw forests of Western Australia. From the crisp Alpine winters of Piandelagotti to the red earth and towering jarrah of Margaret River, they build a new life from timber, soil, and faith.
Drawing on decades of photographs and a treasure of love letters exchanged by his parents, Carlo and Angelina, author
Stephen Palandri
brings to life the journey of a family who cleared bushland by hand, planted vineyards, and forged community while holding tight to their Italian heritage. He captures the challenges of migration-loneliness, illness, and the hard labour of farming-alongside the everyday joys of family meals, Catholic festivals, and the laughter of children growing up between two cultures.
Part immigrant saga, part love story,
celebrates the enduring ties between old world and new. It is both a deeply personal narrative and a vivid portrait of post-war Australia, where determination and devotion shaped a thriving wine region and a lasting legacy.
Readers who enjoy richly detailed memoirs, Italian-Australian history, or stories of family resilience will find this book a moving testament to the power of love, land, and memory.