Author of The Drover’s Daughter, Patsy Kemp, will visit Grafton and Maclean libraries in November. The story features a droving family travelling from town to town across Queensland and New South Wales, droving between and outside Coonamble, Bourke, Cunnamulla, Charleville, Roma, Dalby, Goondiwindi and Narrabri, with the biggest mob of more than 8000 sheep from the Bourke saleyards to Meandarra Saleyards in 1966. As a child Patsy had no idea it wasn’t normal to live in a truck with eight other people, two or three workmen, go to the loo behind a tree or cook food in a shovel over the campfire.  She can hardly believe her mother coped with seven children, putting the sheep break up and down every day, cooking for the family over campfires and driving the wagonette all through scorching summers and bitterly cold winters and days of raining on end. Regional librarian, Kathryn Breward, said the life of a drover was fascinating, due to the iconic Australian nature of it, and also the grit and perseverance needed to transport cattle and sheep hundreds of miles. To meet Patsy Kemp and to hear more of her story, come along to her author visits at:

• Grafton library Friday November 16 at 10.30am
• Maclean library Friday November 16 at 2.30pm

For further information or to book your spot, contact Grafton library on 6641 0100 or Maclean library on 6645 3611.