The Last Station in Aussie Readers

Feb 25, 2022 Brenda rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: aussie-authors, sent-by-publisher, 3500-2022, reviewing-by-request, 2022-release, arc, historical-fiction, own-read

It was 1909 when a despairing Julian Dalhunty, heir to the famous Dalhunty name and vast property which had dwindled over the years, watched his father, Benjamin Dalhunty, as they waited for the Lady Matilda, the paddle steamer that would arrive to take their last wool clip down the Darling River and into South Australia to be sold. The Dalhunty Station had slowly gone into ruin, with the homestead gradually falling apart and their money trickling away, with Ben growing vegetables to supplant th It was 1909 when a despairing Julian Dalhunty, heir to the famous Dalhunty name and vast property which had dwindled over the years, watched his father, Benjamin Dalhunty, as they waited for the Lady Matilda, the paddle steamer that would arrive to take their last wool clip down the Darling River and into South Australia to be sold. The Dalhunty Station had slowly gone into ruin, with the homestead gradually falling apart and their money trickling away, with Ben growing vegetables to supplant their income. But it was Ben’s wife, Rachael’s decision to go to Sydney as her sister was dying which threw Ben, Julian and his sisters, Laura and Meg into chaos. With their mother no longer there to care for them, the remaining family started to fracture.

Long months later, Rachael returned with a young man by her side. She had taken a liking to Ethan and offered him a home with her family on Dalhunty Station, and Ethan was taken in by the talk of grandeur and wealth. But Julian, Laura and Meg didn’t take to Ethan as he was usurping their position in the family. As despair tore through Julian’s heart, he was determined to escape the confines of what was now becoming untenable. But disaster was to follow, and danger, ill-luck and misfortune came calling. What would happen to the Dalhunty family and the generations of history that lay with the name?

The Last Station is the latest historical novel by Aussie author Nicole Alexander, and it was outstanding. A captivating, poignant, moving rendition – based on fact – of the last days of the paddle steamers and their thriving trade along the Darling River; of the struggles of the properties in the area around Bourke and beyond with the drought, the Great Flood, the loss of many head of sheep and the determination to keep the roofs over their heads. I loved Meg’s character. She was a stubborn, feisty thirteen-year-old, dressed as (and was mistaken for) a boy, and her aim was straight and true with the slingshot. The Last Station is a novel I have no hesitation in recommending highly.

With thanks to Penguin Random House AU for my ARC to read in exchange for an honest review. ...more

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Apr 19, 2022 Helen rated it really liked it

Shelves: review-copy-from-publisher

Nicole Alexander writes a great story set in the early nineteen century and takes in the big sheep stations that helped Australia grow from the start and this one tells the story of the Dalhunty family, their station was situated on the great Darling River in western New South Wales and there is a tale to tell.

Dalhunty Station was big and at one stage had more that eighty people living there, there were orchards and palm trees and thousands of sheep but by the summer of 1909 many things had chan Nicole Alexander writes a great story set in the early nineteen century and takes in the big sheep stations that helped Australia grow from the start and this one tells the story of the Dalhunty family, their station was situated on the great Darling River in western New South Wales and there is a tale to tell.

Dalhunty Station was big and at one stage had more that eighty people living there, there were orchards and palm trees and thousands of sheep but by the summer of 1909 many things had changed flood, drought and poor management had changed their situation and the patriarch of the family, Benjamin Dalhunty with his wife Rachael, son Julian and daughters Laura and Meg struggle to live. They are waiting for the paddle steamer the Lady Matilda to come and take their last wool clip to market they have been waiting two years for this.

Julian is twenty one and he really wants more from life than struggling on the station, but his father is so eccentric his sister Laura wants so much to be a lady and young Meg is such a tom boy but as the eldest son he is expected to carry on but with what?

Their mother leaves the station to go to Sydney for months, when she returns home she arrives with a young man Ethan and announces that he is a new brother for them, Julian is not happy and Ethan or the natural as they call him goes out of his way to make the best impression and soon tempers are flaring.

Things change when Ethan changes his mind about staying and Julian is forced to save him and they both are soon travelling on the Lady Matilda down the Darling River, they get caught up with some not so good people and are soon in trouble, how will things end up?

This is a great story it digs deep into Australia’s history we learn about the big flood that changed things for The Dalhunty family these old families might not end up with much in the way of money but they will always have their name, their pride and their determination. I enjoyed getting to know the Dalhunty family Julian was strong Meg was feisty and determined Laura quiet and caring. This is a story that I would recommend Nicole Alexander has entertained me again with a great story, filled with real life emotion.

My thanks to Penguin AU for my copy to read and review
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May 15, 2022 Dzintra aka Ingrid rated it it was amazing

Such a good read! And what a Storyteller….loved this book!

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Oct 03, 2022 Rhoda rated it it was ok · review of another edition

2.5 stars

Thank you to Penguin Australia for sending me a copy of this book to review!

In the early 1900s, the Dalhunty’s were known widely as prosperous land owners with a large sheep station which they would trade wool up and down the Darling river on the riverboats. Yet by this time, the station had been mismanaged and with not much left of their land, the Dalhunty name is about the only thing left of them.

When twenty year old Julian’s mother Rachael goes to Sydney to nurse her ailing sister d ...more

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Apr 28, 2022 Victoriakor marked it as to-read

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Nov 16, 2023 Linda marked it as to-read

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