Australia's Bush Kids is a celebration of childhood in the most unusual of circumstances, growing up in Australia’s far flung regions, born to huge properties removed from the city life that dominates much of the population’s existence.
Jennie Bucknell has compiled a hard cover, coffee-table style book of high-quality images on gloss stock, beautifully captioned marking moments in time for some “outback kid”.
She writes: “Bush Kids has been produced to celebrate and document the lives of Australia’s station children. The photographs in this book are not from professional photographers but rather those who live on the land and have captured the lifestyle, abilities, humour and resilience of our little outback Aussies.
“Bush kids is just a glimpse – there is so much more to share. The outback culture does not just belong to the outback; it belongs to all Australians.
“The whole world will depend on these young Australians to feed and clothe them in the future.
“As a nation we can be proud as we are certainly in good hands.”
For a nation dominated, as we are, by the capital cities and most of the population hugging the east coast, this book would make the perfect gift for a city cousin.
Images alien to city folk cover almost every page, with children as the focal point of every image.
More from the book: “From the moment they are born, outback children become part of the station lifestyle. Entwined in a happy apprenticeship that promotes independence and practicality, station kids experience life at its grass roots and relish the ‘busyness’ in their days. They witness both the joy and hardship that station life brings and it’s not too long before the land runs through their veins and is etched into their young hearts.
“Their sense of purpose and belonging is equally matched by their matter-of-fact view on life.
“The vastness of their home brings with it great freedom and lack of social pressures while their extraordinary outdoor classroom encourages imagination and activity.
“But with isolation comes the challenges of seeing friends your own age, accessing formal education and receiving medical assistance – all of which are met in very different ways to urban areas.
“The distinctive lifestyle of our Australian station kids is an almost hidden part of our society and difficult for many to understand, even though it is virtually ‘at the back door’.
“This book invites you into the magnificent lives of our station children.”
Buy this book and all those featured on this page from the Rural Bookship, phone toll free 1800 025 308 or visit www.ruralbookshop.com.au
