The Last Wild West

The saga of Northern Territory cattle stations,racial violence, wild horses and the supernatural.

Following a personal tragedy, this is the true story of wanting to move forward by travelling back to where the writer was born, the Northern Territory. In 1977, amid a wide red dirt land and under a vast sky, was crushing economic depression, a place shaped by disappointment, despair, frustration and anger, where traditional cattle station livelihoods were on the line and communities riven by seething hostility between Aboriginals and whites. The author found work on a merciless cattle station where you weren’t taught, but brutality broken to fit into the stockman mould, where myriad moral failings, cultural clashes and cruelty to animals were every day events and even a moment of rebellion was a descent into a savagery from which there was no return.

In this barren wasteland of hearts and minds divided strictly along racial lines the author found himself in the middle of race wars. As black power surges, the authors sympathy grows for the Indigenous elder and his besieged community.

Events cascade into a showdown where the author put his own life on the line to try and save lives of his Indigenous friends. Uplifting, heroic story of an Indigenous elders deep friendship and wisdom that rescued the author from the edge of destruction. Moving and heart-warming account how the author befriended a wild brutalised brumby and how each taught the other how to love and trust again.

Harrowing descriptions of animal cruelty on cattle stations. Courageous and inspiring story of Aboriginal peoples defiance against ruthless oppression, bondage and injustice in a harsh indifferent country.

“Gut-wrenching; heroic, inspirational, the hidden heart of the Indigenous story; the writer looked death in the face to protect his Aboriginal friends, we owe it to him to put our hands up and support his story. Made me angry, sad and proud but couldn’t put it down. A must read for all Australian’s as it exposes a dark, mostly unknown part of our race relations most people would rather not know, but need to see to remind them standing up to racism demands constant vigil.” – Reggie Jobuda, Aboriginal Elders Association.

“It was like reading parts of Alex Haley’s “Roots”, only it happened in Australia. The tale of brutality and injustice in an indifferent country.” – Geoff McDonald, Author, Red Over Black.

“I was immediately gripped by this unusual and gritty story…A must-read for anyone interested in the sustainability and preservation of Australia’s unique Indigenous culture. It is not an easy read. But it’s an important reflection of the reality of the tragedy of Indigenous lives, and treatment of animals at that time, and perhaps today. If you grapple to understand what it is like for First Nation people in their struggle for a
black voice and dignity, this book will give you a clarity that might shock you but it is a very important read.” – Samantha Miles, Finch Publishing.

For more information contact:
Anna Rosner Blay, Managing Editor, HYBRID PUBLISHERS
PO Box 52, Ormond, Victoria 3204 Australia,
Tel: 03 9504 3462
Email: hybridpublishers@optusnet.com.au