Cirrus@Austlit

'The story is based on the true story of the 1919 England-to-Australia contest to celebrate who could be the first to make the long-distance flight. The flight was significant in finding use for aircraft technology for activities outside of war efforts, as well as pushing the limits of aircraft design for the time. The main character, Wally, is one of the crew who makes this journey. Much of Wally's story seems to occur because of happenstance. At the outset of the story, he finds the love of his life, Helena, after witnessing the egging of her house during a walk. He meets Helena and her family after offering to help clean up the mess. After Wally falls in love with Helena and impulsively asks her to marry him, his plans are altered after being persuaded to enlist in the war efforts and sent abroad. His acumen with mechanics translates well to working on the latest technology of aircraft during the war, a skill needed after the war as well. Much as when he is persuaded to enlist in the war, he becomes caught up in his friends' enthusiasm and chooses to enter a contest to fly with them from England to Australia.' (Introduction)

'Claire G. Coleman says in her author's note that her debut novel Terra Nullius is influenced by many popular works of postcolonial literature such as My Place by Sally Morgan, Benang by Kim Scott, and Follow the Rabbit Proof Fence by Doris Pilkington Garimara. The influence from these stories is plain. Coleman writes with similar attitudes, anger, and frustrations with the history of Australian colonialism. While the outset of the book begins in a world with which we may be more familiar, the story swiftly transforms into a science-fiction sort of future in which the tensions between colonizers and colonized are explored from a distinctive perspective. The story may borrow elements from stories that came before, but it is inventive enough to claim its own space.' (Introduction)