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Jillaroo #1
Jillaroo
After a terrible argument with her father over their family property, 'Waters Meeting', Rebecca Saunders throws her swag in the ute and heads north with her three dogs. A job as a jillaroo takes her into the rowdy world of B&S balls, Bundy rum and boys. When she at last settles down to a bit of study at agricultural college, her life is turned upside down by the very handsome but very drunken party animal Charlie Lewis . . .
Will she choose a life of wheat farming on vast open plains with Charlie? Or will she return to the mountains, to fight for the land and the river that runs through her soul?
It's only when tragedy shatters her world that Rebecca finds a strength and courage she never knew she had, in this action packed novel of adventure, dreams and determination.
Will she choose a life of wheat farming on vast open plains with Charlie? Or will she return to the mountains, to fight for the land and the river that runs through her soul?
It's only when tragedy shatters her world that Rebecca finds a strength and courage she never knew she had, in this action packed novel of adventure, dreams and determination.
480 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2002
31 people are currently reading
713 people want to read
About the author
Rachael Treasure
23 books308 followersRachael Treasure lives in southern rural Tasmania with her two young children. She is passionate about encouraging non-readers to read, inspiring farmers to consider regenerative agricultural practices and animal handlers to better understand their dogs and livestock. She is a graduate of Orange Agricultural College and has a Bachelor of Arts (Communication) from Charles Sturt University, Bathurst. She has worked as a jillaroo, rural journalist, ABC radio broadcaster, professional woolclasser, part-time vet nurse, family farm manager, drover and stock camp cook. She has written 4 novels and a short story collection, all bestsellers.
Follow her on facebook:
www.facebook.com/rach.treasure
Follow her on facebook:
www.facebook.com/rach.treasure
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 114 reviews
June 30, 2013
Over the last couple of days I’ve tried to think about when I first learnt about Rachael Treasure and the type of books she wrote. Although my mind still draws a blank as to the exact time frame, I do remember almost unconsciously always understanding that she wrote rural fiction and was one of the, if not arguably the fore runner, dominators of Australia rural fiction. For years it seems, I’ve understood that she is driving force behind the thriving genre without ever having read her work. When an author’s reputation precedes your encounter with their work in such a way, you can rest assure you’re in good hands. Just as you expect it too, Jillaroo delivers with the promise of awe-inspiring narration and realistic and down-to-earth characters.
Jillaroo tells the story of Rebecca Saunders a feisty woman of the land who after an argument with her father is kicked off the family farm. Forced to find her own way, she takes up a position as a Jillaroo on a property hours away from her home and begins her new life, albeit dreaming of the rolling hill and her Rebecca River (aka Home). Living a rowdy life, Rebecca has no trouble fitting in with the men, in fact with her drunken ways and no-bullshit antics she seems to fit in better with the men than the ‘farming women’. One night during a B&S ball she meets a somewhat hammered and naked Charlie Lewis and she is immediately hooked. Although their unexpected meeting is short lived, Rebecca spends a fair bit of time thinking about him and receives the biggest shock of her life when Charlie follows her to agricultural college a year later. From there their relationship snowballs, as does their family dramas it seems.
What I loved about this novel was that it is what it is. Treasure holds nothing back and gives little away at the same time. Her characters are frank, country loving and true blue Aussies who know the land like the back of their hand. The male characters are powerful and engaging making them seem larger than life, while her female characters are full of intrigue and unspent potential. Rebecca in particular was such a strong protagonist that I instantly feel in love with her character. She was smart and outspoken, while all the while knowing exactly what she wanted and needed from life, even if she couldn’t work out how to get there most of the time. She was hardworking and she demanded respect from her family, her friends, and the reader. Her tough mentality and the issues she overcomes position her as the perfect battler/underdog that Australia loves to root for.
Having lived in the ‘country’ for a bit, and with family members who still do, I really appreciated Treasure’s spot on narration and representation of small country towns and the people who inhabit them. The atmosphere of the narrative and the characters who inhabit these towns are people you would come across any where in rural Australia and because of this I often found myself nodding my head when new comers were introduced and described in the story. Treasure’s use of imagery, description, setting and dialogue was both uniquely Australian and spot on. The narrative itself was well paced, with the rawness of the writing provoking physical reactions from the reader. I laughed with these characters, I cried for them, I smiled and hoped for a better future alongside them.
Although Charlie Lewis demands a bit of fun and attention, Treasure brings to light a number of issues facing country families, farms, and small towns. She touches on a number of ‘country taboo’ subjects and forces the reader into a headspace they might never have considered going through before. Through characters such as Rebecca’s sensitive brother, Tom, we glimpse issues of severe unspoken and undiagnosed depression and the way it affects not only those involved but the bigger community as well. The issue of alcoholism is dealt with in a lesser extent through the characterisation of Rebecca, Charlie and Rebecca’s father. But at the heart of the narrative the issue of family and its tragic breakdown is explored and pitted against the harsh and unforgiving background of the outback. In the country there are no second chances, but what Treasure points out in the novel, is that in family there may just be one if you are willing to work hard, look harder and fighter long enough to find and achieve it.
After reading Jillaroo there’s no doubt in my mind why Treasure was able to inspire an entire new genre and continues to reign some eleven years on. I very much look forward to reading more of her work in the future.
Read as part of the Australian Women Writer's Challenge 2013
This review originally appeared on my blog - The Never Ending Bookshelf and can be found here: http://wp.me/p3yY1u-40 It was originally posted 16th April 2013
Jillaroo tells the story of Rebecca Saunders a feisty woman of the land who after an argument with her father is kicked off the family farm. Forced to find her own way, she takes up a position as a Jillaroo on a property hours away from her home and begins her new life, albeit dreaming of the rolling hill and her Rebecca River (aka Home). Living a rowdy life, Rebecca has no trouble fitting in with the men, in fact with her drunken ways and no-bullshit antics she seems to fit in better with the men than the ‘farming women’. One night during a B&S ball she meets a somewhat hammered and naked Charlie Lewis and she is immediately hooked. Although their unexpected meeting is short lived, Rebecca spends a fair bit of time thinking about him and receives the biggest shock of her life when Charlie follows her to agricultural college a year later. From there their relationship snowballs, as does their family dramas it seems.
What I loved about this novel was that it is what it is. Treasure holds nothing back and gives little away at the same time. Her characters are frank, country loving and true blue Aussies who know the land like the back of their hand. The male characters are powerful and engaging making them seem larger than life, while her female characters are full of intrigue and unspent potential. Rebecca in particular was such a strong protagonist that I instantly feel in love with her character. She was smart and outspoken, while all the while knowing exactly what she wanted and needed from life, even if she couldn’t work out how to get there most of the time. She was hardworking and she demanded respect from her family, her friends, and the reader. Her tough mentality and the issues she overcomes position her as the perfect battler/underdog that Australia loves to root for.
Having lived in the ‘country’ for a bit, and with family members who still do, I really appreciated Treasure’s spot on narration and representation of small country towns and the people who inhabit them. The atmosphere of the narrative and the characters who inhabit these towns are people you would come across any where in rural Australia and because of this I often found myself nodding my head when new comers were introduced and described in the story. Treasure’s use of imagery, description, setting and dialogue was both uniquely Australian and spot on. The narrative itself was well paced, with the rawness of the writing provoking physical reactions from the reader. I laughed with these characters, I cried for them, I smiled and hoped for a better future alongside them.
Although Charlie Lewis demands a bit of fun and attention, Treasure brings to light a number of issues facing country families, farms, and small towns. She touches on a number of ‘country taboo’ subjects and forces the reader into a headspace they might never have considered going through before. Through characters such as Rebecca’s sensitive brother, Tom, we glimpse issues of severe unspoken and undiagnosed depression and the way it affects not only those involved but the bigger community as well. The issue of alcoholism is dealt with in a lesser extent through the characterisation of Rebecca, Charlie and Rebecca’s father. But at the heart of the narrative the issue of family and its tragic breakdown is explored and pitted against the harsh and unforgiving background of the outback. In the country there are no second chances, but what Treasure points out in the novel, is that in family there may just be one if you are willing to work hard, look harder and fighter long enough to find and achieve it.
After reading Jillaroo there’s no doubt in my mind why Treasure was able to inspire an entire new genre and continues to reign some eleven years on. I very much look forward to reading more of her work in the future.
Read as part of the Australian Women Writer's Challenge 2013
This review originally appeared on my blog - The Never Ending Bookshelf and can be found here: http://wp.me/p3yY1u-40 It was originally posted 16th April 2013
October 8, 2017
TRAVELLING BOOK NO 8. Chosen by Amanda, Tasmania, Australia.
February 5, 2013
Jillaroo by Rachael Treasure is one of the books on my TBR shelf I really wanted to read this year and I’m so glad I made the time to pick this one up. It’s quite a moving story about a country girl who is passionate about farming and determined to see her family farm succeed.
The opening scene sparks immediate empathy for the protagonist Rebecca, with a big blow up with her cranky old man she leaves behind her family farm in a fit of rage with her Ute, swag and three beloved dogs. With her parents separated, Rebecca has been working hard her whole life to prove to her father that the farm is where she belongs. But it’s her older brothers Mike and Tom whom her father wants to bequeath his livelihood to and he refuses to believe that Rebecca has a place on the farm- he wants her to do teaching or nursing. Desperate to follow her dream, Rebecca heads north and takes up a job as a jillaroo where she meets the party animal Charlie Lewis.
Charlie likes to let loose at B&S balls and have a good time with his mates. Rebecca soon discovers it’s his escape from his stifling family situation- an overbearing mother and a critical father. Rebecca and Charlie click instantly and there’s an obvious attraction, though they don’t really become involved until after several platonic encounters due to living in different areas. Charlie was a really interesting character and I felt he complimented Rebecca well. He was always supportive and emotionally available to her and really wanted them to have a future together.
Estranged from her father, missing her sensitive brother Tom and surprised by her brother Mike’s engagement, Rebecca feels her dream of running the farm slipping through her fingers. Eager to remain in the industry, Rebecca studies at University and isn’t willing to settle for life on Charlie’s small farm being away from the land and her animals. Rebecca is very strong-willed and driven and I could sense her restlessness when she moved in with Charlie. Although he knew their relationship was deteriorating he felt it was out of his control to stand up to his parents and make his own decisions. I found this quite frustrating and could understand why Rebecca needed space at this time.
Jillaroo spans several years of Rebecca’s life and the story is told from her viewpoint and that of Charlie, her father’s, her mother’s and Tom’s perspective. I felt drawn into the struggles of this family and liked the added dimensions this added to the layers of the story. When a tragedy strikes the family I became a little tearful because of the emotional impact on Rebecca was portrayed very well by the author. Throughout the story, Rebecca’s personality and emotions really jumped off the page and I think this is what made the story so satisfying. I became so invested in Rebecca following her dream and finding happiness with Charlie.
The story covers the very serious issues of suicide and the lingering effects on the family and I think the author dealt with this in a sensitive and believable way in how the characters responded.
It’s quite a long book so it’s hard to really give a succinct summary of the plot, especially since it spans so many years. But I liked watching the characters grow and mature and overcome their struggles. There was a tendency to info dump early in the story as the family background was revealed but this tapered off as the story went on.
The only criticism I have is about the ending and how the relationship problems with Charlie and Rebecca are resolved. A LOT of time passed when they were apart and even though their feelings for each other remained strong I couldn’t believe that they would just pick up where they left off so easily- especially with both hurting so much. Nevertheless, I was happy that the conflict was resolved.
Jillaroo falls under the rural lit genre but encompasses family drama, romance, loss, determination and passion. I’m looking forward to reading another Treasure novel, I have another one on my TBR shelf to get to soon. Plus, I recently found out that there’s a sequel coming out in April titled The Farmer’s Wife- can’t wait for this one!
The opening scene sparks immediate empathy for the protagonist Rebecca, with a big blow up with her cranky old man she leaves behind her family farm in a fit of rage with her Ute, swag and three beloved dogs. With her parents separated, Rebecca has been working hard her whole life to prove to her father that the farm is where she belongs. But it’s her older brothers Mike and Tom whom her father wants to bequeath his livelihood to and he refuses to believe that Rebecca has a place on the farm- he wants her to do teaching or nursing. Desperate to follow her dream, Rebecca heads north and takes up a job as a jillaroo where she meets the party animal Charlie Lewis.
Charlie likes to let loose at B&S balls and have a good time with his mates. Rebecca soon discovers it’s his escape from his stifling family situation- an overbearing mother and a critical father. Rebecca and Charlie click instantly and there’s an obvious attraction, though they don’t really become involved until after several platonic encounters due to living in different areas. Charlie was a really interesting character and I felt he complimented Rebecca well. He was always supportive and emotionally available to her and really wanted them to have a future together.
Estranged from her father, missing her sensitive brother Tom and surprised by her brother Mike’s engagement, Rebecca feels her dream of running the farm slipping through her fingers. Eager to remain in the industry, Rebecca studies at University and isn’t willing to settle for life on Charlie’s small farm being away from the land and her animals. Rebecca is very strong-willed and driven and I could sense her restlessness when she moved in with Charlie. Although he knew their relationship was deteriorating he felt it was out of his control to stand up to his parents and make his own decisions. I found this quite frustrating and could understand why Rebecca needed space at this time.
Jillaroo spans several years of Rebecca’s life and the story is told from her viewpoint and that of Charlie, her father’s, her mother’s and Tom’s perspective. I felt drawn into the struggles of this family and liked the added dimensions this added to the layers of the story. When a tragedy strikes the family I became a little tearful because of the emotional impact on Rebecca was portrayed very well by the author. Throughout the story, Rebecca’s personality and emotions really jumped off the page and I think this is what made the story so satisfying. I became so invested in Rebecca following her dream and finding happiness with Charlie.
The story covers the very serious issues of suicide and the lingering effects on the family and I think the author dealt with this in a sensitive and believable way in how the characters responded.
It’s quite a long book so it’s hard to really give a succinct summary of the plot, especially since it spans so many years. But I liked watching the characters grow and mature and overcome their struggles. There was a tendency to info dump early in the story as the family background was revealed but this tapered off as the story went on.
The only criticism I have is about the ending and how the relationship problems with Charlie and Rebecca are resolved. A LOT of time passed when they were apart and even though their feelings for each other remained strong I couldn’t believe that they would just pick up where they left off so easily- especially with both hurting so much. Nevertheless, I was happy that the conflict was resolved.
Jillaroo falls under the rural lit genre but encompasses family drama, romance, loss, determination and passion. I’m looking forward to reading another Treasure novel, I have another one on my TBR shelf to get to soon. Plus, I recently found out that there’s a sequel coming out in April titled The Farmer’s Wife- can’t wait for this one!
October 10, 2018
This book was up and down with emotion. Few really sad things happened and the family was so troubled, even though it’s only a story, it broke my heart. In the end though the family came together which was lovely
July 23, 2015
In fairness I only read Jillaroo as part of a project to read books that were popular but I wouldn't normally read. However, I did think it would be more engaging than it was. It turns out to essentially be a book about stereotypical characters getting drunk and throwing up in various different settings. That's about it.
May 17, 2020
An easy read. Another happy ending book which managed to hold my interest long enough but I wouldn't call it amazing!
February 1, 2017
Warning that this is also published as 'River Run Deep'.
Mixed feelings here for a brave Aussie romance. The author lives in Tasmania but the book is set in southeastern Australia. I'm in no doubt that she's doing a great job of depicting the lifestyle and people, the drought, landscape and changing times. The tale follows mainly Rebecca or Bec as her bullying, alcoholic father drives her off the station with her kelpie sheepdogs. Her brothers remain to do the farmwork, since they are going to inherit. Bec stubbornly looks for work and signs up for agri college, mainly to prove that she can do as good a job as a man. When she does, though, is that what a young man wants in a girlfriend?
We can't help despising many of the characters for much of the book. Alcohol and isolation are shown to be a destructive combination. Everyone, male and female, drinks at home, drinks in town, drives drunk, sleeps around drunk, bullies the family drunk, uses drink as a crutch. Clearly the people making money in Australia are the beer makers and sellers. You may say, but isn't it the drinkers' money and lives? Not when the family farm is going downhill fast, to the full knowledge of all concerned, and is about to be sold by the bank. I had to think that if the characters cut back their continual and excessive drinking they could afford to employ staff - something almost nobody does on these massive stations - buy better livestock and equipment, get into the computer age.
Tellingly, only when the patriarch is totally abandoned does he decide to fight his depression and addiction, and at that point matters start to improve for the family, with our heroine / antiheroine Bec deciding to grow up and put work before drink for once as well. We also see that overstocking and bad cultivation choices are ruining a lot of useable land, with improvements again at the end.
This is worth a read before heading off to Oz backpacking but don't feel you have to waste your year in Oz too drunk to remember what you did. Definitely an adult read, with strong language, though the worst has been fudged, and some distressing scenes.
Mixed feelings here for a brave Aussie romance. The author lives in Tasmania but the book is set in southeastern Australia. I'm in no doubt that she's doing a great job of depicting the lifestyle and people, the drought, landscape and changing times. The tale follows mainly Rebecca or Bec as her bullying, alcoholic father drives her off the station with her kelpie sheepdogs. Her brothers remain to do the farmwork, since they are going to inherit. Bec stubbornly looks for work and signs up for agri college, mainly to prove that she can do as good a job as a man. When she does, though, is that what a young man wants in a girlfriend?
We can't help despising many of the characters for much of the book. Alcohol and isolation are shown to be a destructive combination. Everyone, male and female, drinks at home, drinks in town, drives drunk, sleeps around drunk, bullies the family drunk, uses drink as a crutch. Clearly the people making money in Australia are the beer makers and sellers. You may say, but isn't it the drinkers' money and lives? Not when the family farm is going downhill fast, to the full knowledge of all concerned, and is about to be sold by the bank. I had to think that if the characters cut back their continual and excessive drinking they could afford to employ staff - something almost nobody does on these massive stations - buy better livestock and equipment, get into the computer age.
Tellingly, only when the patriarch is totally abandoned does he decide to fight his depression and addiction, and at that point matters start to improve for the family, with our heroine / antiheroine Bec deciding to grow up and put work before drink for once as well. We also see that overstocking and bad cultivation choices are ruining a lot of useable land, with improvements again at the end.
This is worth a read before heading off to Oz backpacking but don't feel you have to waste your year in Oz too drunk to remember what you did. Definitely an adult read, with strong language, though the worst has been fudged, and some distressing scenes.
January 17, 2012
I recently read one of Rachael Treasure's books and I absolutely loved it. So I thought I'd read another to see if I enjoyed it just as much, and lo and behold I did. The descriptive and vivid way Ms. treasure described the beauty and wildness of Australia makes me want to hop on a plane and go there right away. This book made me cry, laugh, and smile. This book is an excellent example of how everyone has their own failings and what happens when we don't deal with them. Ms. Treasure has two more books and hopefully I'll have gotten my hands on them and read them sooner than later.
November 17, 2010
This is the book I have dubbed The Vomit Book. In summary: They fight, they drink, they puke, they save the farm. If you’re thinking of trying this author, start with a different book.
You can read my full review at Book Thingo.
You can read my full review at Book Thingo.
June 24, 2016
3-1/2 *'s.
February 22, 2017
So I sneakily read this when I was meant to be reading Obama's book, because I just felt like a light frolicking yarn. It gets three stars for being a good yarn or a beach read when you don't want to think and are happy to roll with some cliches and some predictable plot lines.
April 12, 2021
I wanted to love this book because I feel like it had such fabulous potential, but I am stuck on how little real resolution there was.
Vague apologies which lead to forgiveness. But no real introspection.
I guess it's realistic for Australia, we culturally sweep things under the rug and ignore it.
But to me, some counselling, some realisation of 'I should learn to deal with my trauma'. Heck, some 'I have a serious problem with alcohol' would have made their self improvement actions more realistic.
But no, it's just a case of suddenly deciding to change and that's good enough for everyone else.
Vague apologies which lead to forgiveness. But no real introspection.
I guess it's realistic for Australia, we culturally sweep things under the rug and ignore it.
But to me, some counselling, some realisation of 'I should learn to deal with my trauma'. Heck, some 'I have a serious problem with alcohol' would have made their self improvement actions more realistic.
But no, it's just a case of suddenly deciding to change and that's good enough for everyone else.
November 19, 2012
I started crying when Tom died at 11:30pm
A truly touching story that has very good romance and story line. I automatically connected with Bec just from the way treasure has described her personality an her situation. I don't even live on a farm. I'm a city girl, but just reading it made me ache for a rushing river. Great book!!
A truly touching story that has very good romance and story line. I automatically connected with Bec just from the way treasure has described her personality an her situation. I don't even live on a farm. I'm a city girl, but just reading it made me ache for a rushing river. Great book!!
August 18, 2020
This is my first book by this author and I loved the story about farming and animals. However I struggled with the characters and didn’t enjoy reading about getting drunk, vomiting and one night stands. Some sad themes and issues but I didn’t enjoy novel at all.
April 18, 2011
Loved it!! It's just rehashed my dream of living on a farm!
I loved reading about the animals, and Becs life, crying and laughing at the things that get thrown at her.
A wonderful Aussie book!
I loved reading about the animals, and Becs life, crying and laughing at the things that get thrown at her.
A wonderful Aussie book!
January 8, 2015
Classic Aussie rural romance, at its best! Loved the 'go girl' vibe and have drawn a lot of inspiration for my own writing from this book.
May 3, 2016
Loved it from start to finish !
February 14, 2012
I am a sucker for outback (rural) romance
August 4, 2025
This rural Aussie tale kicks off with grit and promise—an estranged daughter, a domineering father with repressed emotions, and a refreshingly direct insight into farming culture. The author nails the textures of rural life, from rusty generational attitudes to rowdy ag college antics. The realism sings in these early chapters, promising a character- and location-driven narrative, and revives briefly towards the end with the business side of primary industry impressively rendered.
But the narrative falters. The romance between Rebecca and Charlie tumbles into soap opera territory, with increasingly hollow plot turns and characters losing their nuance. Rebecca begins as a potential powerhouse protagonist but devolves into a disappointingly selfish anti-heroine, and Charlie’s paper-thin family background is mere plot device. Stereotypes creep in—religious tropes, repulsive hazing rituals, and an oddly misplaced sensitive artistic son, whose presence in the narrative seems completely for plot development—dragging the novel into uneven terrain.
A novel with strong observational bones and cultural texture, undone by its turn toward melodrama. Great setup, disappointing execution.
But the narrative falters. The romance between Rebecca and Charlie tumbles into soap opera territory, with increasingly hollow plot turns and characters losing their nuance. Rebecca begins as a potential powerhouse protagonist but devolves into a disappointingly selfish anti-heroine, and Charlie’s paper-thin family background is mere plot device. Stereotypes creep in—religious tropes, repulsive hazing rituals, and an oddly misplaced sensitive artistic son, whose presence in the narrative seems completely for plot development—dragging the novel into uneven terrain.
A novel with strong observational bones and cultural texture, undone by its turn toward melodrama. Great setup, disappointing execution.
July 30, 2020
I had not read a novel for a long time, for a born book worm, that is torture. I picked this up in Big W, unable to ignore wanting to fall into another world for a little while. From cover to cover I was caught...unable to stop reading till it was finished. Thank you for writing this, it has brought me back to my love of reading, and got me hooked again. Easy to read, descriptive but not too heavy, I love the way you weave a picture of a place, making it real and able to be felt. Your characters are someone I know or know of or saw in a movie...love them or hate them, they make us laugh, cry, and feel angry, happy or frustrated..among many other reactions. I finish sadly because I do not want it to end. Which makes me look for another of your books.🌞
June 5, 2022
Wow what an emotional roller coaster I have been on with this book.
There is lots of love and laughter but also some tough times as well.
It really is a story about families and finding out where you belong.
The main characters, Rebecca and Charlie, have become dear friends of mine and I have laughed and cried along with them.
I couldn't tear myself away from this book, hence why I finished it over 2 days!
The story moves along at just the right pace. The descriptions allow me to envision myself as a bystander, watching the events unfold in front of my.
Characters are so well developed you feel like you have known them forever.
I can't wait to get my hands on the sequel to see where this story goes.
There is lots of love and laughter but also some tough times as well.
It really is a story about families and finding out where you belong.
The main characters, Rebecca and Charlie, have become dear friends of mine and I have laughed and cried along with them.
I couldn't tear myself away from this book, hence why I finished it over 2 days!
The story moves along at just the right pace. The descriptions allow me to envision myself as a bystander, watching the events unfold in front of my.
Characters are so well developed you feel like you have known them forever.
I can't wait to get my hands on the sequel to see where this story goes.
July 19, 2021
I picked up this book from a free local library without much enthusiasm, but I'm so glad I did. I wouldn't have chosen this book unless the pickings were slim (the image of the horse and the title of Jillaroo made me grimace), but I'm happy report I thoroughly enjoyed it. It's basically a family saga set on an Australian Outback property. There is tragedy, family drama, and romance and the author has done a wonderful job capturing the lexicon, and the lifestyle of a uni student as I recall it.
This novel was a welcome break from the thrillers and suspense novels I tend to be drawn to. It's no masterpiece, but a fast paced and good yarn.
This novel was a welcome break from the thrillers and suspense novels I tend to be drawn to. It's no masterpiece, but a fast paced and good yarn.
December 19, 2023
This book got me back into reading again. As a young Australian girl from a small country town, I could resonate with the main character of Rebecca and her journey. This excited me as I had never been able to relate so much to a novel before, and I finished the book in such a short amount of time.
Treasure truly captures the true essence of a young woman find her place in such a traditional pastoralist Australia landscape, whilst simultaneously stitching that laid back, “she’ll be right” attitude throughout the story.
Reading Jillaroo cemented Treasure as one of my favourite authors and her novels always have a place on my bookshelf.
Treasure truly captures the true essence of a young woman find her place in such a traditional pastoralist Australia landscape, whilst simultaneously stitching that laid back, “she’ll be right” attitude throughout the story.
Reading Jillaroo cemented Treasure as one of my favourite authors and her novels always have a place on my bookshelf.
November 23, 2024
A lot rougher (both the characters and the emotions) than your normal small town farming romance. I really enjoyed this book and Rebecca as a character. She was like a good friend, where you were rooting for her even when she made decisions that made you want to scream. There were alot of characters and sometimes when I picked the book up I had to flick back and remind myself of who the character was, or who the dog belonged to Etc. I would've liked to read a bit more about the time at uni after Charlie arrived and about them figuring out how they fit together.
January 16, 2021
I picked up this book for $2.50 from an op shop managed by a friend. It’s not my normal type of book, but I wanted to read it because I went to an agricultural University (I study environmental studies) and thought the family dynamics described on the back cover would be interesting. I struggled with the first half of the book, but enjoyed the second half as Rebecca turned her dreams and ambitions into reality.
February 12, 2021
I loved this book....
Loved the “feel of the land” & the life of a Jillaroo....it was all “sooo real” ....
We had spent 9 Months travelling Australia in our motor home, & on our travels, we came across Stockmen droving their cattle....It was a WONDERFUL sight....the Real Outback....
I loved Rebecca’s character, feisty & extremely capable....
What a wonderful read....
Thank you so much Rachel....
So sorry about Dougall dog....
All the very best....
I can’t wait to read another of your books....
Loved the “feel of the land” & the life of a Jillaroo....it was all “sooo real” ....
We had spent 9 Months travelling Australia in our motor home, & on our travels, we came across Stockmen droving their cattle....It was a WONDERFUL sight....the Real Outback....
I loved Rebecca’s character, feisty & extremely capable....
What a wonderful read....
Thank you so much Rachel....
So sorry about Dougall dog....
All the very best....
I can’t wait to read another of your books....
June 17, 2021
I’m a sucker for a Rachael Treasure novel - a quintessential story of the Australian rural female. I find her stories easy to read and engaging, they’re predictable, but pleasing to the reader. Jillaroo is a story of a young independent and gutsy girl from the bush, who has a complicated and dysfunctional family life on the farm, where she’s forced to leave and eventually returns years later to run it. A romance story entwined in there too of course.
April 30, 2022
After a terrible argument with her father over their family property, 'Waters Meeting', Rebecca Saunders throws her swag in the ute and heads north with her three dogs. A job as a jillaroo takes her into the rowdy world of B&S balls, Bundy rum and boys. When she at last settles down to a bit of study at agricultural college, her life is turned upside down by the very handsome but very drunken party animal Charlie Lewis . . .
September 4, 2024
Divorced parents, grumpy father, absent mother. Only Beca and her brother Tom have an alternative view on the running of the farm, rescuing it from the spiraling bankruptcy.
A weĺl constucted plot and likable characters take us on a journey of Rebecca's development and growing confidence in her skills, not only in dog training but in farm management. Eventually leading to her achieving her dream of taking over the family farm with some interesting twists and turns on the way.
A good read!
A weĺl constucted plot and likable characters take us on a journey of Rebecca's development and growing confidence in her skills, not only in dog training but in farm management. Eventually leading to her achieving her dream of taking over the family farm with some interesting twists and turns on the way.
A good read!
October 29, 2025
This is a great story about family trials and trauma. Rachael had me laughing and crying right along with the characters. There were some points where the story jumped a little too quickly through their lives and I would have liked some more details, and sometimes I forgot who was who, but I still enjoyed it. I am excited to read the next one and see where the family farm heads and what trials this little family will have to go through.
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