This is a fictional account of the early life of Clara
Saunders based on her own unfinished manuscript.
It
covers approximately two years from April 1892 of the gold rush era, through to
March 1894.
The Author’s Note at
the beginning, gives us a strong introduction, addressing the background and
origins of the manuscript and how the book came about.
The reader steps right into the life of fourteen
year-old Clara, who with Mother and her older sister, set out from Brisbane to
Western Australia to support Clara’s sister Mary and husband.
They own the
Hotel in the gold mining town of Southern Cross and are expecting their fifth
child.
Clara’s memories are clear, precise and very detailed
as she recalls the incredible adventure on which she embarked. There she met
Jack, her first love. It is a time of parties, music from tin whistles, banjos
and accordions; sing-alongs, picnics and racing festivals.
Jack works for his father as water carrier to the
dry areas of the diggings. Lack of water is the greatest problem. Clara and
Jack become very close, spending all their spare time together.
In September 1892, when the richest reef of gold is
discovered by Arthur Bailey and his friend William Ford, a flood of goldminers moves
into a new town which they name Coolgardie. Another hotel goes up to accommodate
the influx. Clara agrees to join the single female cook working there. She
takes with her, Mother’s First Aid bible which proves to be more valuable than
gold.
A second reef – a mile long of pure gold, is found
close to Coolgardie. With this rush, the English girl Florrie turns up, looking
for adventure and excitement. Both girls prove tough, resilient, and extremely
hard working; able to stand up to the rough men and their indiscreet language.
A friendship quickly forms.
Recorded recollections beautifully transferred by
Elaine Forrestal into visual images, reveal the strength and perseverance
exercised by all during those difficult, early Australian gold rush years. The camaraderie
between men is made visible. Life is frequently tumultuous, for competition and
dissent, typhoid and dysentery are rife. Camp life – descriptive and real, the good
and bad, is presented in perfect prose.
The end of 1893 brings great change and additional
dangers and threats, as criminals, conmen and individuals with no respect for
women, pass through the mining towns. This danger finds Jack, shattering Clara’s
life and rounding off her story.
There is a two-page informational reference to
Clara’s life after Jack. This interesting addition gives answers to questions on
what happened to Clara afterwards, that readers will enjoy discovering at the
end of this well-told Australian story.
Title:
Goldfields Girl
Author:
Elaine Forrestal
Publisher:
Fremantle Press, $16.99
Publication
Date: May 2020
Format:
Paperback
ISBN:
9781925816495
For
ages: 10 - 14
Type:
Historical Fiction/Biography
