rachel henning

   Set in the mid 1850s, the story of Rachel Henning's voyage to Australia is told through the letters she writes to family and friends.

Rachel Henning (1826–1914) was born in England. In 1854 she went to Australia, but returned to England in 1856 due to homesickness and the hot climate. However, in 1861, she returned to Australia where she settled permanently. She first lived with her brother and sister on their property in Queensland, but married in 1866 and later moved to a property near the New South Wales south coast.

Rachel's descriptive letters, mainly addressed to her sister in England, provide a detailed account of nearly 30 years of pioneering life in Australia. The letters were first published by The Bulletin in 1951 and 1952. They were collected in book form and published by Angus and Robertson in 1963.

Literary critic Debra Adelaide writes that 'they are valued for their vivid portrayal of station life in the second half of the nineteenth century and for her own humour and frankness about the life she led'.