Dennis McIntosh was always determined not to get stuck in a factory like his father, but it’s only once he takes a job as a roustabout that he discovers what he really wants to be: a shearer. Travelling from station to station, he revels in the smell and feel of the sheds, and the freedom of being answerable to no man except his mates.

Dennis’ book Beaten by a Blow shows us the reality behind the romance of the shearer. Most of all, it tells the story of a boy crashing headlong into life – into work, into drink, into responsibilities he isn’t ready for, which come closer to breaking his back than shearing ever did.

Free, but please book on 9347 6633.