The Heather to The Hawkesbury Follows Mary Macdonald and her family; her brother Fergus MacKenzie; sister-in-law Caro MacLeod; cousins the Fraser and all their families who have had to emigrate from the Isle of Skye during the ¿Clearances¿. The story follows the four families from Scotland, on the ship out and to the NSW colony in 1850¿s. Mary does not cope with the changes and losses that occur in the first months in the colony. The other women in the family rely on her and she nearly crumbles. Through accidents, losses, trials, floods, and hard work the families struggle together and forge a strong bond with their new country. Loosely based on the family history of both the Author and her husband who both had Scottish Highlander ancestry! Much of their family history has been woven into the many sagas these characters experience.

Ricky and his mother immigrate from England to join his father in the new Colony of Sydney. On arrival there is no sign of his dad. Ricky's mum uses the tiny amount of money they brought with them to get lodgings in a run down building. Things go from bad to worse when his mother dies and he is thrown out of the lodgings and all their possessions are confiscated by the caretakers. Ricky finds himself living on the streets of Sydney Town as a street waif. Ricky finds safe places to sleep and befriends freed convicts who can help him survive. One day he finds another lost child and he helps reunite her with her family. These people try to help him but by his stubbornness he insists of doing things his way, but he has found a mentor and confidante. The story follows him through his life. He survives and turns his life around also helping others along way, some of whom he ?adopts'.