* * *
The new colony needed workers, so in the 1830s and 1840s, the British government paid settlers to come to Australia. (Just like Lavinia! )
* * *
During the 1840s, a large number of Irish people came to Australia to escape a terrible famine.
* * *
When gold was discovered in the 1850s, lots of people came from Europe, North America and China to try to get rich.
* * *
Between the 1850s and the early 1900s, Afghani, Pakistani and Turkish camel handlers came to Australia. They travelled across the desert and helped to set up telegraph and railway lines.
* * *
From the 1890s to the 1970s, it was difficult for anyone who wasn’t from Europe to move to Australia because of the White Australia Policy.
* * *
After World War II, the government wanted to make the population much bigger, so they paid for people to come here, including lots of people who’d lost homes and families in the war.
* * *
In the 1970s, many people from East Timor, Vietnam and China escaped to Australia because of the difficult conditions in their countries.
* * *
In more recent times, people have come from all over the world to live in Australia. They’ve come from places like Yugoslavia, Sudan and the Middle East to escape conflict, and from Singapore, Hong Kong and India to study.
* * *
Today, 1 in every 5 people in Australia was born overseas.
IN the first hot days in October, the paddock grass had faded from green to gold. Letty had watched the tussocks sway on the ridgeline, like ladies bowing in a dance. Then the sheep had eaten the grass into clumps of short bristles. The water in the creek got low and soupy. Still it didn’t rain. The sheep kept eating, until they’d chewed the land down to its bare bones.
That was when Clem Grey said their time was up.
‘I’ll sell the flock now,’ he told Mary. ‘I’d rather not watch them starve, and have them eaten by the flies.’
So a month ago, Clem, Abner and the kelpie herded all but the best few of the flock onto the road, and set off for Goulburn. Letty was sorry to see the sheep go. She’d got used to their baaing and chomping. She missed watching the lambs skipping around their mothers. They were like part of the family.
Letty was even more sorry that Abner had left. Mary missed Clem, too. Harry did not know what to do without the men or the sheep to follow, so he misbehaved. He accepted Letty as part of the household now, but they weren’t really friends. He often ran away from her. Letty was looking for him now.
‘Harry? Harry!’ Letty wandered along beside the creek until it bent into a patch of reeds and tangly bush. She had a feeling he might be there, even though she couldn’t see him. The thicket of white-blossomed shrubs was one of his favourite places.
But there was still no sign of Harry, so she tried a different trick. ‘What a shame,’ she said aloud. ‘By the time Harry comes for tea, all the jam and damper will be gone.’
Leaves rustled and dry branches cracked behind Letty. Harry crawled out on his hands and knees. Letty grabbed at him as he tried to squirm past.
‘Let me go!’ he demanded.
‘First you have to tell me what you were doing,’ Letty said. ‘It’s not fair when you hide on me. Mama gets worried.’
Harry’s eyes slid away. ‘I was watchin’,’ he mumbled.
‘What is there to watch in a patch of prickly bushes?’ said Letty, annoyed.
Harry gave her a sly look. ‘Stuff,’ he said. Suddenly he pointed at the road. ‘Look!’
Letty refused to look. She thought he was trying to get away again. But Harry began to wave and yell. ‘Hey!’
Letty looked up. Someone stood on the road with the sun behind them. They were waving their hat, and their hair made a flaming copper halo. Letty knew who that was – her friend Abner. He was back! Clem was beside him on his horse, waving too.
She let go of Harry. He burst up the hill on short, strong legs. Letty hurried after him, wondering what kind of news Clem and Abner might bring.
Meet the other Australian girls and authors
GRACE AND GLORY 1808
It’s 1808 and Grace has arrived at a bark hut on the edge of a river to start her life as a servant. But even though she tries hard, nothing she does for her new master ever seems right – especially if it involves Glory, his beloved horse. When her master goes away and leaves her in charge, will Grace know how to save her mistress from danger?
Join Grace again on her adventure in the third of four exciting stories about a convict girl who is given a second chance.
Sofie Laguna, author of the Grace books, is a highly regarded and award-winning writer of several books for children. Bird and Sugar Boy was shortlisted for the 2007 CBC Book of the Year Award, Younger Readers, and Sofie’s adult book, One Foot Wrong, was longlisted for the Miles Franklin Award in 2009.
Poppy and the Thief 1864
It’s 1864 and Poppy is on the road again, heading to the town ofWahgunyah. On the way she meets a stranger who seems to know something about her past, and her special letter with the red tiger seal. But the more time she spends with this boy, the more difficult he becomes. Should Poppy trust him?
Join Poppy again on her adventure in the third of four stories about a Gold Rush girl who dreams of a better life.
Gabrielle Wang, author of the Poppy books, is a much loved writer for young people. Gabrielle’s recent books include her bestselling Young Adult novel Little Paradise, and the very popular Ghost in My Suitcase, which won the 2009 Aurealis Award for young fiction.
Rose’s Challenge 1900
It’s 1900 and Rose’s world is changing. At last she can go to a proper school where she makes a best friend, learns more than just embroidery and even gets to play in a proper cricket match. But at home, Mother is dangerously ill, Father is worried about Federation, and Aunt Alice is getting in more trouble than ever …
Join Rose again on her adventure in the third of four stories about a Federation girl who’s determined to do things her way!
Sherryl Clark, author of the Rose books, is a prolific and popular writer for children. Sherryl’s most recent Puffin book is Motormouth, a companion volume to Sixth Grade Style Queen (Not!), which was an Honour Book in the 2008 CBC Book of the Year Award, Younger Readers.
ouraustraliangirl.com.au
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information and to enter competitions,
visit our website. We’d love to hear from you!
Follow the story of your favourite Australian girls and you will see that there is a special charm on the cover of each book that tells you something about the story.
Here they all are. You can tick them off as you read each one.
A girl like me in a time gone by
PUFFIN BOOKS
Published by the Penguin Group
Melbourne • London • New York • Toronto • Dublin
New Delhi • Auckland • Johannesburg
Penguin Books Ltd, Registered Offices: 80 Strand, London, WC2R 0RL, England
Published by Penguin Group (Australia), 2011
Text copyright © Alison Lloyd, 2011
Illustrations copyright © Lucia Masciullo, 2011
The moral right of the author and the illustrator has been asserted.All rights reserved.
Every effort has been made to contact the copyright holders for material used in this book. If anyone has information on relevant copyright holders, please contact us.
puffin.com.au
ouraustraliangirl.com.au
ISBN: 978-1-74-253361-2
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Letty on the Land Page 6
