AustLit

Harry Gepp, the local shopkeeper, witnesses an interesting assortment of local characters as they visit his shop for supplies.

Old Granny McDill was an inspiration to those around her for she always maintained her calm in any situation, and had a history of lending a helping hand to anyone who needed it.

Old Dicky was a crusty old character whose actions nevertheless often provided occasion for merriment.

In a small town near Bummer's Hill live a variety of interesting characters who provide plenty of amusing incidents for locals to enjoy.

The nursing sister and the blacksmith of a small town affect a gruff attitude towards each other, which belies the deep respect each actually holds for the other.

In the small outback town where she worked, the local nursing sister catered not only to her patients' physical needs, but also their spiritual requirements in the padre's frequent absences.

For residents in the sparse and isolated communities of Central Australia, the dedication of professionals who are prepared to unstintingly undertake arduous journeys to tend to their 'flocks' is gratefully appreciated, and responded to with warm hospitality.

A young clergyman faces a toughened group of railway gangers in the outback, one of whom is determined to ruffle his composure. However, ignoring the man's efforts proves to be a wise decision and the priest is rewarded by full attendance at his service.

After four years of exceptional dedication to the people of Oodnadatta, the local nursing sister was sadly farewelled, though her replacement was warmly welcomed.

Being the nurse in a small town entails complete commitment, but sometimes this is not enough to save the lives of some patients. Sometimes it is necessary for patients to make long and difficult railway journeys to city hospitals in a bid to save their lives. Often the railway journeys prove to be lively, with a variety of characters on board.

The storekeeper of the 'once-a-fortnight' fruit shop was a stalwart of her local community, and her family had inherited her strong sense of community spirit and generosity. Her store was also a gathering place for locals, who witnessed many interesting events there.

Living in the outback, the local padre travels by camel to visit people living on isolated properties. The people he meets invariably welcome him into their homes, although the nature and extent of their hospitality varies widely.

A bush padre describes the laconic bushmen of the outback, and how they will assess a stranger to determine whether that person can be depended upon.

On his travels through the outback to visit his parishioners, a camel-riding padre is amused by a young mother's dietary choices for her young baby, and impressed by the process of sinking an artesian bore.

Visiting friends on a remote station, a padre is reminded of a Christmas racing carnival some years earlier when a city jockey-cum-trainer managed to infiltrate himself into several influential positions. The padre and his friend managed to foil the man's attempts at manipulating the race outcomes, but then found they must also curtail his manipulative actions with poker machines, card games, and even friendly foot races.

Visiting an outback station, the Padre is confused by the excited claims of the children who rushed to greet him that there was a new baby in the family, as their mother had had a new baby only a few months earlier. Upon reaching the house, the woman reveals that there was indeed another new baby in their home, but sadly it was the child of a neighbour who had died shortly after giving birth. As the infant's father is experiencing great difficulty caring for his young family, the Padre convinces him to sell his station and move to the city where the children's aunt can help raise his family.

A recalcitrant camel and an agile lizard offer a travelling padre some diversions on his slow outback trek.

The bush Padre recalls two lucky escapes he has experienced, the first of which involved evading a young stockman's wild and reckless method of killing a beast. The second incident involved being set back upon the right path, with the help of local Aboriginal men, after having been misdirected into the desert beyond the reach of civilisation.

Travelling in unknown country, the Padre enlists the help of a local Aboriginal 'pilot' so that he might reach his destination. The man, accompanied by his family, intrigues the Padre with his hunting and cooking techniques.

The travelling Padre observes that the Aboriginal women of the area have more readily adopted clothing, and modesty, than have the men.