Hello & Welcome
This website is for those who enjoy a good Australian yarn. We celebrate a convict and treasure a connection with the traditional owners of our country. We value the stories that have been passed down through the generations; stories of war, drought and hardship on the land, and good luck and the hard toil associated with the search for gold. There are refugee stories and migrant stories. Some are of great escapes and others of tragedy or great valour. Some stories record the dastardly deeds of a black sheep we pretend to shun but secretly treasure for the colour they add to our tale.
This is a site for all Australians. For first nations people who have lived on and tendered this land for over 60 thousand years. A people who can teach newer Australians how to care for land so that it can heal and be protected for future generations. It is a place for newer Australians to learn about the crimes perpetrated against original Australians because knowledge is necessary before there can be true reconciliation. It is a site for those whose ancestors arrived before the 1970’s to explore their families past, good and bad, and also an opportunity for new Australians to explain why they left their countries of birth to settle on a large island on the far side of the world.
Diggers- A book of 110 World War I Veteran’s Stories
This is not a book about generals or battles. It is a book about 110 ordinary Australians who served in the AIF during World War I. They were farmers, school teachers, clerks, miners and labourers. The youngest was 17 and the oldest 45. Some were heroes, others cowards. Many of their parents and grandparents were Australian pioneers, others were newly arrived immigrants. All had interesting stories to tell about Australia’s early years, the war and life in Australia during the first half of the 20th Century.
A list of those featured in the book here
Read some of their stories here.
This is a site for writers of Australian stories. It is thought that everyone has a story, an incident, a person or a place that is worth recording. If you have a story that you would like to share, send it to us. Your contributions will be posted in the Stories section of our website.
Periodically a listener will comment ‘That’s so interesting you should write a book about it.” Some of us do. If your book is ready for its readers, we will promote it. All stories are welcome, be they fact or fiction, providing they say something about our past and the people who shaped it. We firmly believe that these stories – personal stories, bring history alive. If you have a book that is ready, write a preview and we will post it on this site.
Australian Family Stories is an interactive site and depends on you to make it interesting. Why not contribute to our blog. Topics covered are not restricted to family stories or history. They can range through natural history, the environment, contemporary issues, in fact, anything that is relevant and interesting. Please be polite and truthful. Contributions will be fact checked and will not be posted it they are untruthful, aggressive or rude.
We hope that you are enjoying your experience at Australian Family Stories. We would appreciate your comments on the site and its content. You can contact us here.