In 1853 19 year old Toby O'Rourke and his brother 15 year old Paddy live with their parents on a small homestead in Victoria. It is a hard but happy life for the boys until the day that 5 bushrangers raid the place killing their parents and leaving Paddy badly injured. He recovers but is unable to speak. The boys go back to the homestead to take over the running of it but forced to leave when Henry Pelham takes over the land, which he has always wanted because of the springs that never dry up, when he takes over the boys father's loans from the bank. Toby vows to get the men who killed their parents and to buy the homestead back from Pelham.
Sailing into Australia from England are Annie Hocking, her sister Betty and her parents to make a new life for themselves. They have suffered a tragedy on board when Tom the son of the family became ill and died.
The two families eventually meet after many adventures and join forces when they meet in the gold mining fields of Ballarat and work together. There follows good times and bad times, love and loss. It also tells the true story of the Eureka Rebellion which I had never heard of before.
I was surprised how much I loved this book and the O'Rourkes and Hockings. It had everything i want in a book and I couldn't put it down. I would love to read a sequel as I want to know what happens to the families as the years go on. A great read.
Sailing into Australia from England are Annie Hocking, her sister Betty and her parents to make a new life for themselves. They have suffered a tragedy on board when Tom the son of the family became ill and died.
The two families eventually meet after many adventures and join forces when they meet in the gold mining fields of Ballarat and work together. There follows good times and bad times, love and loss. It also tells the true story of the Eureka Rebellion which I had never heard of before.
I was surprised how much I loved this book and the O'Rourkes and Hockings. It had everything i want in a book and I couldn't put it down. I would love to read a sequel as I want to know what happens to the families as the years go on. A great read.