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Unbranded:
First Nations Classics (with an introduction by Kev Carmody)

by

A unique, authentic novel of friendship and brotherhood, based on the author’s long years droving on stock routes of inland Australia.

A$19.99
Available. Dispatched 2-3 business days
Overview

Herb Wharton, former drover, now celebrated author, unleashes a strikingly original vision of outback Australia. From the riotous picnic races to the famous Mt Isa rodeo, from childhood in the yumba to gutsy outback pubs, Unbranded presents a rollicking cast of stockmen, shearers, barmaids and tourists.

At its heart this novel is the story of three men: Sandy is a white man; Bindi, a Murri; Mulga is related on his mother's side to Bindi, and on his Irish father's side to Sandy. Their lives and enduring friendship cover forty years in the mulga country of the far west. Unbranded recounts how Sandy achieves his dream of owning a cattle empire, how Bindi regains part of his tribal lands for his people, and how Mulga finally sits down to write about their shared experiences.

Details
Herb Wharton

Herb Wharton

Herb Wharton was born in Cunnamulla, Queensland, and began working as a drover in his teenage years. His maternal grandmother was of the Kooma people; his grandfathers were Irish and English. In 1992 with the publication of his first book, Unbranded, he committed to novel form his experiences of his long years spent on the stock routes of inland Australia. Cattle Camp, a collection of droving histories as told by Murri stockmen and women, was published in 1994. Where Ya’ Been Mate?, a collection of short stories, followed in 1996.

Herb has travelled extensively throughout Australia and abroad. In 1998, he was selected for a residency at the Australia Council studio in Paris where he completed Yumba Days, his first book for young readers. He was awarded the Australia Council Award for Lifetime Achievement in Literature in 2012, and most recently was the recipient of a black&write! Fellowship in 2022.