The death of my uncle several years ago gave birth to an idea where he would play Virgil to my Dante in a journey across time zones, cultures and the Australian landscape. My uncle was somewhat of an itinerant who spent his last years in Broken Hill. His death started me thinking about the parallels between his life and mine. Of all my family members I realised that I was probably the closest to him in character, temperament and attitude. We had similar qualities – not all of them admirable. Then a compelling sequence of events convinced me that his death (and my life) would only have meaning if I was to undertake a personal quest for grace and redemption.
One of the biggest revelations during my research for The Barrier Range was the discovery of the magnitude of the damage, destruction and dispossession done to Aboriginal society by 19th century European exploration and settlement. I believe my understanding of the issues of the stolen generation, native title and reconciliation have been enhanced by my research into Australian history. While I do not claim to have a thorough knowledge of Aboriginal culture and its belief systems, I believe I am capable of writing about the effect on Aborigines caused by European actions and attitudes both past and present. I would like to emphasise that this book is not a polemic. It does not offer simple answers to a complex issue. The tensions between indigenous culture and superimposed European values is just one of many issues raised in the book.
While the majority of the story is in verse, I felt that because of the magnitude of the work (approximately 200pp) it required more than a sequence of poems for it to realise its artistic concept. The work has a linear narrative so that the reader is taken on the journeys of Sturt, and Burke and Wills. However, I also wanted the reader to take a break from the exploration party (as the protagonist does) and stop and reflect from time to time. I have attempted to do this by using other writing genres such as newspaper articles, letters, diaries extracts (fictional and actual) and quotes from early Australian explorers.
The other literary device used is time travel. The protagonist journeys through the Australian landscape in the 19th century and witnesses and experiences things with fresh eyes for the first time. The newspaper articles which he sends back to Melbourne from different locations are written during the exploration period, and give potted histories of life and conditions at that time. However, the letters he also sends to a friend in Melbourne make comments on his experiences with the expedition – and on the newspaper articles – with an understanding of current culture.
I think The Barrier Range will appeal not only to poetry lovers but also to anyone interested in a good story and the imaginative retelling of important chapters in Australian history.
[...] The Barrier Range is a verse novel which tells the story one man’s journey into the interior of Australia to find his dying uncle in Broken Hill. The book draws on the exploits of 19th century explorers Charles Sturt, who discovered the Barrier Ranges (where Broken Hill is located) on his search for an inland sea, and Burke and Wills who passed near Broken Hill on their ill-fated trip through the desert to the Gulf of Carpentaria. You can read praise for The Barrier Range and read excerpts. [...]