'The main thread of the story is made the history of two families. James Morrison is a stalwart teamster of the early days, who is somewhat irresponsible in his romantic adventures. He is engaged to marry Jane Judd. When a cargo of girls arrives in Sydney he meets Biddy, a sweet little Irish girl, whom he decides to marry. He goes back to the country to tell Jane all about it, but circumstances force him into marrying Jane against his inclinations. The foresaken [sic] Biddy also marries. She and her husband are speared by blacks, and Morrison, who has ridden to their rescue; is given custody of the infant son by the dying Biddy. The Morrisons bring up Biddy's son with their own. The two infants establish families, and the picture closes with the grant-grandson [sic] of one marrying the great-granddaughter of the other, and both families are united in the pioneering of Northern Australia.'
Source:
'Pictures of the Week', The Australasian, 1 June 1935, p.17.
Heritage
Sydney
:
Angus and Robertson
,
1935
Z428433
1935
single work
novel
historical fiction
'In the imperishable story of the colonizing and developing of Australia, a story too vast to be compressed within the compass of the ordinary novel, Mr Chauvel has made no effort to stress the usual glaring themes of brutality, degradation, and misery. At the same time no denial of such conditions is suggested, but shining above the cruel early struggles is the white light of high endeavour, unexampled courage in the face of almost insuperable difficulties, and a steadfast faith in the destiny of this nation.
It is of the qualities of courage, sacrifice, endurance, enterprise, heroism and achievement that Mr Chauvel tells, leaving the leg irons, and the bloodied triangles to fade into a well deserved obscurity, remembering them only when truth shall demand it, but remembering also that such systems, punishments and conditions were then common to the world. Out of tribulation has come triumph, out of misery has come magnificnce, and out of that early heroism has come a mighty heritage.' - Dust jacket flap
