Australia Culture

No one saw Eliza Vanda arrive in Tidgy Bay that rainy winter afternoon. The sign advertising 'Cabins for Rent’ was almost hidden by a pile of builder’s rubble, but Eliza Vanda didn’t seem at all put out by the mess. ‘This is a nice little pocket,’ she said. ‘It should suit us very well’.

When Lotty, a brave, young orphan, and her cheeky dog, Mr. Jacks, are shipwrecked, they encounter ruthless pirates, hidden treasure, and discover the exciting truth about Lotty’s golden locket. The mystery will change her life forever!

Sadie is upset when her mum uproots them from the city to move to the remote small town of Boort. But before long, she has discovered a powerful place and crows that speak to her, and she is drawn to two boys, Lachie and Walter. Then Sadie is thrown back in time to witness a dreadful crime in which her family is involved. Sadie, Walter, and Lachie must find a way to atone for past wrongs, or be doomed to repeat them. 

In the 15th century, four Mahu sail from Tahiti to Hawaii and share their gifts of science and healing with the people of Waikiki. The islanders return this gift with a monument of four boulders in their honor, which the Mahu imbue with healing powers before disappearing. As time passes, foreigners inhabit the island and the once-sacred stones are forgotten until the 1960s. Though the true story of these stones was not fully recovered, the power of the Mahu still calls out to those who pass by them at Waikiki Beach today.

At the tender age of eight, chimney sweep Tom Appleby is convicted of stealing and sentenced to deportation to Botany Bay. As he sails out with the First Fleet, Tom sadly realises that he will never set foot on English ground again. Luckily, not long after Tom’s arrival in the colony, the fair and kind Sergeant Stanley decides to take on Tom as a servant. Together, Tom, Sergeant Stanley and his son, Rob, build a house, set up an orchard and a vegetable garden for themselves - and thrive, unlike many others in the new colony.

Juf Josje en Hakim hebben gespaard voor een reis naar Australië. En nu is het zover! Ze gaan een week helpen in een koalaopvang en daarna nog twee weken genieten van de rust en de natuur. Zónder kinderen, want die kunnen deze keer natuurlijk niet mee. De koalaopvang waar juf Josje en Hakim werken zit heel vol en er zijn zorgen. De bosbranden laaien steeds weer op en de koala's blijven maar komen. Al het geld gaat op aan heel dure zalf om hun brandwonden sneller te laten genezen en de opvang moet misschien zelfs sluiten.

My father passed away before he finished this story, but what he did write was gold. It was an absolute pleasure finishing this book. It's my favorite in the Pungapeople series. I hope it becomes your favorite, too.

The Pungapeople have inhabited the Ninety Mile Beach undisturbed for years. When the fishermen and campers arrive in their droves their beautiful Pungaland becomes polluted and noisy. The Pungapeople take action and use all of their wily ways to defeat the new visitors.

Mrs. Windyflax seeks the help of a local policeman when she notices her letterbox has been the target of mischievous "Pungapeople". The policeman finds himself outwitted by the wily Pungapeople and returns to his station, minus his clothes, to file a report.

When Harry Hobnail goes tramping in the mountains, a group of cheeky kids start to pester him and spoil his fun. But when Harry tries to sort these birds out once and for all, he realizes that they are not the only mischief-makers on the mountain. The Pungapeople are most annoyed that someone would dare to make themselves at home on their land, without even asking permission. They have mysterious and effective ways of dealing with this intruder.

This new edition of What Makes Us Tick takes us beneath the often overwhelming surface noise of politics, economics, new technology and social change to explore something that hasn't changed: the 10 desires that drive us all and, now in a new prologue, the seven characteristics that define us as a species. From our desire to be taken seriously, to be useful and to be loved, to the desire for more, the desire for control and the desire for something to believe in, these universal human motivations powerfully influence our behaviour towards each other.

This anthology is a diverse collection of explainers by some of the finest writers from The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald. It tackles quintessentially Australian topics (where does the term 'mate' come from?) as well as questions being grappled with around the world (what will our homes be powered by in the future?). Inquisitive readers love the explainer columns for their strong and surprising storytelling, deeply researched reporting and inventive illustrations.

The year is 1942 and the world is at war. Nancy Clancy left school at 14 to spend a year droving, just like her grandfather Clancy of the Overflow. Now 16, Nancy's family has sent her to Malaya to bring home her sister-in-law Moira and baby nephew Gavin. Yet despite the threat of Japanese invasion, Moira resists, wanting to stay near her husband Ben.

The mini volume Yarran mirrors three different expressions of feelings: the love for animals, the cheerfulness that can be found in nature, and the excitement of reading/listening to books. Yarran’s treasures spring from real images captured from my surrounding. The little puppy’s character reflects my little actress Pepina, a puppy that spreads joy and love everywhere she goes. 

From the small town in regional Australia where she was told that 'girls can't play the drums' to New York City and back again, Brodie has spent her life searching screens, books, music and magazines for bodies like hers, girls who loved each other, and women who didn't follow the silent instructions to shrink or hide that they've received since literal birth. This is the story of life as a young woman through the lenses of feminism and pop culture. Brodie's story will make you reevaluate the power of pop culture in our lives - and maybe you will laugh and cry along the way.

When thirteen-year-old Celeste travels to China to visit her grandmother, she uncovers an incredible family secret. And with this secret comes danger and adventure. If Celeste is to save her family and friends, she must learn to harness her rare and powerful gift.

Sam Kerr is an Aussie Rules fan through and through. When she’s excluded from her team she doesn’t know what to do. Netball? No thanks. Chess? Bleugh. Her best friends Dylan and Indi think she should flip from Aussie Rules to soccer – and it doesn’t seem so bad at first. The coach is okay. The team seems nice enough.... But with Chelsea the school bully on her case and the pressure of learning new rules weighing her down, will it all be too much? Will Sam give up – or will she make the flip?

A powerful and personal guide on how to be effective, no matter who you're trying to influence. Whether it's the racist relative sitting across the table at a family function, or the CEO blind to the institutional barriers to people of colour in the workplace, award-winning journalist and vivacious leader Antoinette Lattouf has some tips and advice on what to do.

The war seems a long way away to Maggie Flanagan. Her brother is somewhere across the sea, flying to protect England from the Germans and the Italians. But Maggie is more interested in kicking the footy and finding out who's going to play for St Kilda this season. When the war comes to Australia and Maggie sees what she's sure is a Japanese spy plan in the skies of Melbourne, it all gets very real. The Japanese attack Australia up north and American soldiers start appearing on the streets. Worst of all, it looks like the football season will be cancelled!

Have you ever wondered if time travel is actually possible? Or where the Australian accent came from? Or what it feels like to have dementia? If you're an inquisitive person who likes to understand how things came to be the way they are, this collection of thought-provoking explainers from The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald has got you covered. Explain That answers some of the year's - and life's - most baffling questions.