FINDING THE GREAT AUSTRALIAN NOVEL

FOLLOW THE RABBIT-PROOF FENCE by Doris Pilkington

Based on the actual experiences of three young girls who escaped the white assimilation camps in the 1930s, this extraordinary story has been a staple in school curriculums for generations – and for good reason! University of Queensland Press, $19.95

PICNIC AT HANGING ROCK by Joan Lindsay

Written in just four weeks, this novel caused mass hysteria when it was released in 1967, thanks to the ambiguity around its true story disclaimer. Both eerie and romantic, there’s no other novel that captures Australia quite like it. Text Publishing, $19.99

CLOUDSTREET by Tim Winton

While many of his novels deserve to be on this list, Cloudstreet is the novel any new Winton reader should begin with. This hilarious epic about love and forgiveness won the prestigious Miles Franklin Award in 1992.

Penguin, $24.99