The album was also heavy on social protest themes; "Solid Rock" deals with issues of land rights for Indigenous Australians.

[2][4] They recorded the independent 12-inch EP, The Goanna Band, which was produced by ex-Dingoes lead vocalist Broderick Smith.

[3] In August 1981, they supported James Taylor on the Australian leg of his tour, where they met Billy Payne, who would later become the producer of their second album, Oceania.

[2] According to Howard, the inspiration came on a ten-day camping trip at Uluru (also known as Ayers Rock) during 1980 where he had a "spiritual awakening" which brought "the fire in the belly" to the surface over injustices to Australia’s indigenous peoples.

[6][7] WEA was reluctant to issue it as a single and even Shane initially had reservations about whether commercial radio would play it because of its politically sensitive theme[6] but then Howard insisted on its release to make a statement about the European invasion of Australia.

[2][5] It was produced by Trevor Lucas, a member of UK folk rock group Fairport Convention,[5] who had returned to Australia in 1979.

[10] For the album, Goanna were Bygrave, Peter Coughlan on bass guitar, Graham Davidge (ex-Little River Band) on guitar, Harwood, Howard, his sister Marcia Howard on backing vocals, Mick "The Reverend" O’Connor on keyboards and Robert Ross on drums.

[8] Proceeds supported the Tasmanian Wilderness Society's campaign against the proposed damming of Tasmania's Gordon and Franklin Rivers for a hydroelectricity project.

[3] The B-side of the single, "Franklin River – World Heritage", was written and recorded by the Society's director, Bob Brown, who later became a senator and the leader of Australian Greens.

[8] In 2003, "Spirit of Place" was digitally re-mastered by Shane with the addition of 7 previously unreleased tracks including three live versions.