5 must-read Aussie short stories worth your time

Australia's literary heritage is rich with stories set in our iconic Australian bush. Margaret McKay has handpicked 5 classic short stories that delve into themes of mateship, heroism, and the extraordinary moments in everyday life.

By Margaret McKay

Some Australian stories hit us like a brick of truth, especially those classic slice-of-life short narratives played out against a recognisable landscape, most often the bush, where all the idealised gumtrees, billabongs and endless dusty paddocks or fertile plains are found.

Mateship and hero worship is a regular feature of 19th century Australian stories, most usually in the form of a bushman or soldier. Occasionally the stereotype will share a different point of view from the masculine, as in Henry Lawson’s The Drover’s Wife or Barbara Beynton’s Squeaker’s Mate.

Some stories uncover surprising extraordinariness in the ordinary, and leave an imprint of a time and place the reader is too young or culturally displaced from to have witnessed. Through the vividness of the pen’s magic, you see what you see, you laugh, sob, feel, and taste.

There are so many great Aussie tales, yarns and fables, so we selected those that left an impression. They are not all happy-ever-after stories, but they are guaranteed to be memorable. Several in the public domain can be read online through Project Gutenberg or AustLit, or will be readily available at your favourite bookshop or library, or by digital download and audiobook.

The Ghost Upon the Rail (1853) by John Lang

The jury of public opinion is still out on whether The Ghost Upon the Rail is a legend or the true story of one John Fisher, a freed convict who worked hard and became wealthy. When Fisher disappears, his neighbour explains to all and sundry that he has returned to England. A year later, the neighbour claims that Fisher has written, asking that all he owns be sold and the proceeds forwarded. At about the same time, men returning home after a session at the local see a particularly Fisher-like apparition, which rather spoils the neighbour’s get-rich-quick scheme.

The Fisher landholdings were allegedly located in Campbelltown NSW, where some chaps, after only “a coupla beers”, still report seeing Fisher’s ghost. Fact or fiction? You decide.

See The Ghost Upon the Rail online or ask at your local library to source a copy.

Squeaker’s Mate (1902) by Barbara Baynton

The opening scene focuses on a physically strong woman who’s working with a gang of tree-felling fellers, one of whom is her lazy partner, Squeaker. When a tree falls on Mary, Squeaker gives her a piece of his mind, leaving her to the mercy of the elements and the wildlife.

Being the bloke he is, Squeaker brings another female companion to live with him in their hut, in full view of the poor stricken woman. Mary’s only friend is her faithful dog, who protects her as best it can. The dog has a plan to get even with Squeaker, and get even it does. Hooray for the dog!

Read Squeaker's Mate online.

The Loaded Dog (1901) by Henry Lawson

While on the dog theme, short story writers provide plenty of evidence that Aussie dogs are smarter and funnier than other dogs. Tommy the retriever is another perfect example. Described as “an overgrown pup … a big foolish, four-footed mate”, playing with the belongings of his three gold-mining owners is the dog’s favourite pastime. Retriever by name and retriever by nature, the dog’s antics create some heart-stopping, pants-wetting humour after one of the men has an unusual plan to catch fish.

The Loaded Dog is part of Lawson’s Joe Wilson and His Mates collection. Do yourself a favour and read the lot.

Read The Loaded Dog online.

On Our Selection (1899) by Steele Rudd (Arthur Hoey Davis)

Any one of the adventures of Dad and Dave, Mum and Mabel will have you in stitches and cringing in embarrassment. The collection depicts the adventures and misadventures of the Rudd family, who move from the city to Snake Gully, which is somewhere in the outback and more than a country mile from Woop Woop. The dialogue between hardworking and optimistic Dad who has a regular beef about the squatters with his gullible and clumsy son Dave is pure gold.

The series launched a long-running radio play that most Aussies of a certain age will remember. A laugh a minute.

Read On Our Selection online.

The Drover’s Wife (1892) by Henry Lawson

A lonely woman lives in a hut with four kids and a dog; her husband is off droving sheep. One day, a snake slithers into the house. Chaos ensues. The woman tries to stare the snake down, but it doesn’t work. She next tries to lure the snake out with milk, but that doesn’t work either. The dog tries to catch the snake, but it doesn’t work. The kids try to sleep on the table, but they can’t. The woman cries over a collapsed woodpile, but that doesn’t help. Finally, the snake comes out and what happens next is ... for you to find out. The end.

But read it for yourself because Lawson tells it better.

Read The Drover's Wife online.