Poets, Painters and Pioneers: Banjo Paterson's Family by Heather Knight

Over the years much of the story of the Paterson brothers has been lost to time.

Four young Scottish brothers and their sister arrived in Australia with ambition, money, vision and energy of youth.

They were well-educated, interested in politics and their community; imbued with intelligence, good humour, a fierce intellect and kind and charitable hearts.

As Australian pioneers, they took up remote lands on the Lachlan and Edward Rivers and in outback Queensland, bringing with them centuries of family experience in breeding sheep and horses.

The harsh reality of farming in Australia took its toll both financially and physically and within fifteen years their dreams of a squatting empire had collapsed.

Broken by premature deaths and the burden of working for others, they still managed to raise remarkably talented children who excelled as sportspeople, artists, musicians and poets. Their stories and photographic portraits have been plucked from obscurity and are presented in the book Poets, Painters and Pioneers for the first time.

Rather than an enduring heritage of vast sheep stations, grand homesteads or pastoral empires, the family legacy is Australia’s legendary poet, “Banjo Paterson”.

Join us at Orange City Library on Saturday 15 February 2025 at 2pm when author Heather Knight gives an insight into the fascinating life of the Paterson family.

Copies of the book will be availabe for sales and signings on the day.

Host or Publisher Central West Libraries