A couple of young men go to Australia to stay awhile with the uncle of one of them. While on the way up to the uncle's station they meet with various adventures. During the book we are introduced to various of the animals of Australia, the kookaburra, the wombat, the kangaroo, the wallaby, and many others. We also meet with the aboriginal occupiers of the land. Finding that they like the life in Australia, the two young men decide to settle, and they buy, with the uncle's assistance, an area of land on which to create a station. According to Wikipedia: "William Henry Giles Kingston (28 February 1814 - 5 August 1880), writer of tales for boys, was born in London, but spent much of his youth in Oporto, where his father was a merchant. His first book, The Circassian Chief, appeared in 1844. His first book for boys, Peter the Whaler, was published in 1851, and had such success that he retired from business and devoted himself entirely to the production of this kind of literature, in which his popularity was deservedly great; and during 30 years he wrote upwards of 130 tales, including The Three Midshipmen (1862), The Three Lieutenants (1874), The Three Commanders (1875), The Three Admirals (1877), Digby Heathcote, etc. He also conducted various papers, including The Colonist, and Colonial Magazine and East India Review. He was also interested in emigration, volunteering, and various philanthropic schemes. For services in negotiating a commercial treaty with Portugal he received a Portuguese knighthood, and for his literary labours a Government pension."
A couple of young men go to Australia to stay awhile with the uncle of one of them. While on the way up to the uncle's station they meet with various adventures. During the book we are introduced to various of the animals of Australia, the kookaburra, the wombat, the kangaroo, the wallaby, and many others. We also meet with the aboriginal occupiers of the land. Finding that they like the life in Australia, the two young men decide to settle, and they buy, with the uncle's assistance, an area of land on which to create a station. According to Wikipedia: "William Henry Giles Kingston (28 February 1814 - 5 August 1880), writer of tales for boys, was born in London, but spent much of his youth in Oporto, where his father was a merchant. His first book, The Circassian Chief, appeared in 1844. His first book for boys, Peter the Whaler, was published in 1851, and had such success that he retired from business and devoted himself entirely to the production of this kind of literature, in which his popularity was deservedly great; and during 30 years he wrote upwards of 130 tales, including The Three Midshipmen (1862), The Three Lieutenants (1874), The Three Commanders (1875), The Three Admirals (1877), Digby Heathcote, etc. He also conducted various papers, including The Colonist, and Colonial Magazine and East India Review. He was also interested in emigration, volunteering, and various philanthropic schemes. For services in negotiating a commercial treaty with Portugal he received a Portuguese knighthood, and for his literary labours a Government pension."