1840's Australia. The last time Sarah saw her father was on the docks in England, hope in her heart to be reunited with him in Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania/lutruwita) and to meet the man to whom she was promised.
Fictional and real life situations and characters interweave in this tale of adventure, courage, resilience, heartbreak and love. A sweeping narrative encompassing her time spent living with First Nations people - their magnanimity towards the refugees in their midst and the stark contrast with the savage cruelty of some of the invaders. Many harboured deeply rooted biases and resentments born of their own experiences of dispossession, prejudice and privation of basic human rights under the Empire's rule in their own homelands.
In the isolated outpost of Port Albert, East Gippsland, Sarah's life becomes entangled with land hungry settlers and former or escaped convicts pursuing their aspirations after surviving perilous ocean voyages to the Antipodes. Their dreams and subsequent choices ultimately contributed to the near decimation of the First Nations populations of East Gippsland, a situation echoed across much of the continent of Australia.
The 'white woman' becomes the focus of attempts to 'rescue' her from her adoptive clan. Suppose she doesn't want to be 'rescued'? Were those endeavours based on chivalry, misogyny or prejudice? Perhaps all three? Or another excuse to expedite the attempted annihilation of the original inhabitants?
Will Sarah ever make it to Van Diemen's Land to be reunited with her father? Will she find love with the man to whom she was promised? Discover much about East Gippsland and Tasmanian history whilst you accompany her on her enthralling adventures.