SOLVED. YA Christian Historical fiction - Girl and family follow dad to Australia prison colony

[eaglewings]

This is a series of books about a teen girl and her family during Australian prison colony days. Her dad was accused of a crime and sent to Australia. Her family followed. The first book takes place almost entirely on the journey over. Subsequent books take place in Australia, and, I think, trying to find the dad and absolve him of charges. At least four books in the series, quite possibly more. Parts of subsequent books took place on a sugarcane farm. I believe an uncle may have been involved in a bad way. I remember the cover of the first as being somewhat stylized - blue background, a ship, waves and the girl’s face with blond curly hair. I believe the family ultimately stayed in Australia.

I would have read these in late 2000s. They would probably have been purchased from Christian Book Distributors.

[eaglewings]

After some long convos with a couple family members, we were able to identify this series as the South Seas Adventures by Pamela Walls. I actually was conflating this series and another, Adventures Down Under by Robert Elmer, in my mind. South Seas Adventures isn’t about Australia at all, but about a girl and boy who get washed off a ship, picked up and wind up in Hawaii. Adventures Down Under is about following the dad to the penal colony.

[Rainbowheart]

Glad you found it!

Abby - Lost at Sea for the link to the first book in the series.

Escape to Murray River for the other series.