AustLit

'I first heard the word when I was eleven. We, that is, my Dad, Mum, older brother and younger sister, were at the local picnic spot. A football ground sized area scattered with old gnarled gums, a pebble toilet block, some barbeques with a sleepy river in the far perimeter. The relentless heat had driven everyone to their pools. We had no pool or air conditioning so were at the river playing I spy while waiting for our lunch to go down.' (Author's abstract)