Turner wrote the novel in 1893 while living at Inglewood in what was then rural Lindfield (now Woodlands, Killara, New South Wales), having moved there from the inner city suburb of Paddington in 1891.

She and Aldith make the acquaintance of two young men, but Meg believes she has fallen in love with the older brother of one, Alan.

Meg returns home and later faints, having tight-laced her waist under pressure from Aldith until it affects her health.

He plans to send her back to school, but softens in fear when he sees her coughing up blood.

To assist Judy's recuperation, Esther's parents invite her and the children to their sheep station Yarrahappini.

A ringbarked tree falls and threatens to crush 'the General', the youngest sibling and Esther's own child.

Judy, who promised 'on her life' not to allow him to be harmed on the picnic, rushes to catch him and her body protects him from the tree.

'Well,' said Mr Gillet, 'when, in short, an early Golden Age wrapped the land in its sunshine, a young kukuburra and its mate spread their wings and set off towards the purple mountains beyond the gum trees..."[5] Clare Bradford suggested in her book Reading Race "The main effect of the omission of Tettawonga's story is...to achieve a less problematic version of the Australian past than the one which prevails in the book's first edition.

Differences include the fact that Judy was thin and waiflike in the book, she is more solidly built in the series.

An acclaimed site-specific stage adaptation by playwright Julia Britton and directed by Robert Chuter, was produced at the National Trust historic property – Rippon Lea from 26 December 1997 – 26 January 1998.