The Shiralee — D'arcy Niland

To Macauley the child was his 'shiralee' - a burden and a handicap, and also a constant reminder of bitterness and failure. It was in his nature to do things the hard way; the way he saw it, there was no other choice. What he hadn't taken into account was the child's overwhelming need for love. Niland's masterpiece is an outstanding evocation of the Outback and adult-child relationships. First published in 1955, few books have captured the spirit of the Australian bush and its hardy people as vividly and powerfully as this poignant novel.