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The Australians #7
The Gold Seekers
THEY CAME SEEKING WEALTH AND VENGEANCE. THEIR DREAMS MIGHT FORGE A NATION - OR DESTROY IT.
In the 1850s Australia was a land of fertile promise and bitter truths, a wilderness that could only be tame by proud men and passionate women like the Broomes and Tempests. It was also a land with a secret - a secret that would be revealed with the discovery of gold in the rugged hills and desolate outback.
With that discovery Australia became a mecca for men like Luke Murphy - questing, adventurous, torn between the lure of wealth and the dictates of his heart. And for men like Jasper Morgan - unscrupulous brigands for whom gold was a hunger so consuming, it justified every excess, every savagery, every sin.
In the 1850s Australia was a land of fertile promise and bitter truths, a wilderness that could only be tame by proud men and passionate women like the Broomes and Tempests. It was also a land with a secret - a secret that would be revealed with the discovery of gold in the rugged hills and desolate outback.
With that discovery Australia became a mecca for men like Luke Murphy - questing, adventurous, torn between the lure of wealth and the dictates of his heart. And for men like Jasper Morgan - unscrupulous brigands for whom gold was a hunger so consuming, it justified every excess, every savagery, every sin.
349 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1985
2 people are currently reading
284 people want to read
About the author
William Stuart Long
39 books37 followersViolet Vivian Finlay was born on 2 January 1914 in Berkshire, England, UK, the daughter of Alice Kathleen (née Norton) and Sir Campbell Kirkman Finlay. Her father was the owner and director of Burmah Oil Company Ltd., whose Scottish family also owned James Finlay and Company Ltd. The majority of her childhood and youth was spent in Rangoon, Burma (now also known as Myanmar), where her father worked. During her life, she frequently journeyed between India, Singapore, Java and Sumatra.
Although Vivian is well-known by the surname of Stuart, she married four times during her lifetime, and had five children: Gillian Rushton (née Porch), Kim Santow, Jennifer Gooch (née Stuart), and twins Vary and Valerie Stuart.
Following the dissolution of her first marriage, she studied for a time Law in London in the mid 1930s, before decided studied Medicine at the University of London. Later she spent time in Hungary in the capacity of private tutor in English, while she obtained a pathologist qualification at the University of Budapest in 1938. In 1939, she emigrated to Australia with her second husband, a Hungarian Doctor Geza Santow with whom she worked. In 1942, she obtained a diploma in industrial chemistry and laboratory technique at Technical Institute of Newcastle. Having earned an ambulance driver's certificate, she joined the Australian Forces at the Women's Auxiliary Service during World War II. She was attached to the IVth Army, and raised to the rank of sergeant, she was posted to British XIV Army in Rangoon, Burma in October 1945, and was then transferred to Sumatra in December. After the WWII, she returned to England. On 24 October 1958, she married her fourth and last husband, Cyril William Mann, a bank manager.
She was a prolific writer from 1953 to 1986 under diferent pseudonyms: Vivian Stuart, Alex Stuart, Barbara Allen, Fiona Finlay, V. A. Stuart, William Stuart Long and Robyn Stuart. Many of her novels were protagonized by doctors or nurses, and set in Asia, Australia or other places she had visited. Her romance novel, Gay Cavalier published in 1955 as Alex Stuart got her into trouble with her Mills & Boon editors when she featured a secondary story line featuring a Catholic male and Protestant female who chose to marry. This so-called "mixed marriage" touched nerves in the United Kingdom.
In 1960, she was a founder of the Romantic Novelists' Association, along with Denise Robins, Barbara Cartland, and others; she was elected the first Chairman (1961-1963). In 1970, she became the first woman to chair Swanwick Writers' Summer School.
Violet Vivian Finlay Porch Santow Stuart Mann passed away on August 1986 in Yorkshire, at age 72. She continued writing until her death.
Although Vivian is well-known by the surname of Stuart, she married four times during her lifetime, and had five children: Gillian Rushton (née Porch), Kim Santow, Jennifer Gooch (née Stuart), and twins Vary and Valerie Stuart.
Following the dissolution of her first marriage, she studied for a time Law in London in the mid 1930s, before decided studied Medicine at the University of London. Later she spent time in Hungary in the capacity of private tutor in English, while she obtained a pathologist qualification at the University of Budapest in 1938. In 1939, she emigrated to Australia with her second husband, a Hungarian Doctor Geza Santow with whom she worked. In 1942, she obtained a diploma in industrial chemistry and laboratory technique at Technical Institute of Newcastle. Having earned an ambulance driver's certificate, she joined the Australian Forces at the Women's Auxiliary Service during World War II. She was attached to the IVth Army, and raised to the rank of sergeant, she was posted to British XIV Army in Rangoon, Burma in October 1945, and was then transferred to Sumatra in December. After the WWII, she returned to England. On 24 October 1958, she married her fourth and last husband, Cyril William Mann, a bank manager.
She was a prolific writer from 1953 to 1986 under diferent pseudonyms: Vivian Stuart, Alex Stuart, Barbara Allen, Fiona Finlay, V. A. Stuart, William Stuart Long and Robyn Stuart. Many of her novels were protagonized by doctors or nurses, and set in Asia, Australia or other places she had visited. Her romance novel, Gay Cavalier published in 1955 as Alex Stuart got her into trouble with her Mills & Boon editors when she featured a secondary story line featuring a Catholic male and Protestant female who chose to marry. This so-called "mixed marriage" touched nerves in the United Kingdom.
In 1960, she was a founder of the Romantic Novelists' Association, along with Denise Robins, Barbara Cartland, and others; she was elected the first Chairman (1961-1963). In 1970, she became the first woman to chair Swanwick Writers' Summer School.
Violet Vivian Finlay Porch Santow Stuart Mann passed away on August 1986 in Yorkshire, at age 72. She continued writing until her death.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
February 24, 2019
This is my 2nd read of this, my all-time favorite, series. I read it first 6 years ago & have wanted to read it again. It is even better than I remember it being. My only regret is that there are only 12 books in this series.
January 6, 2025
Yet again same old, same old from previous books in the series; historical lecturing, reiterated speeches by characters, typos left right, and centre. Ugh. Annoying!
One redeeming fact was the stories of different characters seem to be developing better as the series goes along.
One other annoying factor was the Crimea War section of this book was dragged out and practically could have been its own novel. I understand the author has lived in many of the places described throughout the series but this is getting ridiculous! The author seems to enjoy waffling on about the most minute details of any of the historical facts. Tiring!
Alas, the book is not the last in the series so I shall struggle on into 2025 with the thought that at least I am clearing my shelves of old books gathering dust.
One redeeming fact was the stories of different characters seem to be developing better as the series goes along.
One other annoying factor was the Crimea War section of this book was dragged out and practically could have been its own novel. I understand the author has lived in many of the places described throughout the series but this is getting ridiculous! The author seems to enjoy waffling on about the most minute details of any of the historical facts. Tiring!
Alas, the book is not the last in the series so I shall struggle on into 2025 with the thought that at least I am clearing my shelves of old books gathering dust.
April 7, 2019
Number seven in this long-running saga.
What a disappointment. The previous six novels have entertainingly mixed fact and fiction. Time has moved on about twenty years since the previous installment. Unfortunately, this means all the regular characters have been ditched or marginalised. A long-standing character is killed off early on, yet no one (especially the author) seems to care. New characters are introduced and involved in various plots, but nothing is developed to sustain interest. Or, crucially to care about what happens to anyone. The parts of the book that deal with the Eureka Stockade are compelling, but are lost amongst the disjointed events surrounding it. There's an interlude into the Crimean War - which adds nothing but padding.
What a disappointment. The previous six novels have entertainingly mixed fact and fiction. Time has moved on about twenty years since the previous installment. Unfortunately, this means all the regular characters have been ditched or marginalised. A long-standing character is killed off early on, yet no one (especially the author) seems to care. New characters are introduced and involved in various plots, but nothing is developed to sustain interest. Or, crucially to care about what happens to anyone. The parts of the book that deal with the Eureka Stockade are compelling, but are lost amongst the disjointed events surrounding it. There's an interlude into the Crimean War - which adds nothing but padding.
April 24, 2024
Oplæser: Jesper Bøllehuus. God som altid.
Serien om Australien, har taget et hop frem i tiden. Ca 20 år og dermed også en ny generation. Vi har mødt flere af de nye hovedpersoner som børn, og det er spændende nu at følge dem som voksne.
Det er ikke længere muligt, at skjule at der er guld i Australien. Og dette betyder at en sværm af guldgravere er draget ind i landet. Landbruget og skibssejllads lider under flugten af arbejdskraft, for guldet trækker.
Det bliver spændende at følge guldkampen.
Serien om Australien, har taget et hop frem i tiden. Ca 20 år og dermed også en ny generation. Vi har mødt flere af de nye hovedpersoner som børn, og det er spændende nu at følge dem som voksne.
Det er ikke længere muligt, at skjule at der er guld i Australien. Og dette betyder at en sværm af guldgravere er draget ind i landet. Landbruget og skibssejllads lider under flugten af arbejdskraft, for guldet trækker.
Det bliver spændende at følge guldkampen.
July 11, 2018
I’m totally into this series and can’t wait for the next one. I went ahead and ordered all the remaining books. I’ll be sad to end the series. You should read them
February 22, 2020
Story is good but I feel that the war bits could have been cut down a lot as they became a bit boring.
April 21, 2024
I've read the whole series now that I'm finished. I'm sad.
April 2, 2021
This is an excellent book. I read it seven years ago and now I want to read it again... I wish I have it in pdf
June 11, 2012
Number 7 in the Australians series, and I'm happy to say I am still in love with this great saga by WSL. I especially liked the character Luke Murphy whose story is the main narrative thrust of the book. I was cheering for him and feeling his pain. Familiar characters and their offspring keep reappearing, nicely woven into the tale which is essentially a fascinating look at the Goldrush period in Australia's history. Highly recommended.
April 22, 2016
Another wonderful book. I honestly knew nothing about the Gold Rush in Australia before reading this book. This book features a new generation of Australians. The kids in the last story are either adults or older teenagers now.
January 8, 2015
Interesting book - starts with the California gold rush and ends with the Australian gold rush with a side track describing the infamous Charge of the Light Brigade. Good reading!
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews