Historical information

This is a booklet written by Jack Rooke about his life. Born in 1910 Jack Rooke faced early the challenges of living in the bush in the Camperdown and Panmure areas. He describes the difficulties of the small farmer and the tough living conditions. He also records the struggle to survive during the Depression years in the 1930s and his heartache after his farm was burnt out in the Ash Wednesday fires. Rooke’s story mirrors that of many settlers in the Western District in the early to mid 20th century and so he has produced an important social history in a simple but compelling manner.

Significance

This booklet is of considerable importance as it gives the details of the life of one person facing the challenges of living in the bush in the district around Warrnambool in the 20th century. It is a simple but great social history that should be read by the younger generation today.

Physical description

This is a soft cover book of 40 pages. It has been self-published and home-produced with a buff-coloured cover and a plastic overlay. The cover has a black and white illustration. The pages contain some sketches and black and white photographs.