The Dashwoods : a sequel to "On an Australian farm"

The Dashwood family has just spent a week soaking up the bustle of the city, and each member reacts in their own way. While the children dash about tram tracks and cafés with delighted curiosity, Mrs. Dashwood finds the streets noisy and artificial, yearning instead for the open fields, ducks, and wheat she left behind. Her husband, old John, and the twins Tilly and Polly juggle jokes and occasional mischief, hinting at a home life that balances affection with light‑hearted chaos.

Amid the urban clamor, a new invitation arrives: a letter from their old friend Robert Staunton, who runs a produce business somewhere beyond the city’s haze. The family’s curiosity is stirred, and plans quickly form for a trip on the steamship Kangaroo to Bung Island, promising fresh scenery and the promise of simple, honest work. As they prepare to leave, the Dashwoods’ contrasting desires—city excitement versus countryside calm—set the stage for a lively, humor‑sprinkled adventure that celebrates family bonds and the pull of the Australian landscape.