Great Australian Bush Priests Stories

Great Australian stories of faith and friendship in outback Australia, gathered by the inimitable Bill ‘Swampy’ Marsh - bestselling author of Great Australian Flying Doctor Stories and Great Australian CWA Stories.

‘the term Bible bashing took on new meaning in our household … Mum used to suffer from bunions; that is until she started bashing them with the heavy family Bible, believing the Lord’s weight behind the Lord’s word could move anything from mountains to bunions.’

Priests, pastors and preachers play a vital part in the lives of people in remote and regional Australia. Often from the city, they are posted to places they have never even heard of to provide spiritual care for communities over areas larger than they could ever imagine. No matter their religion, they are all committed to helping people in the bush - whatever way they can! they shear sheep, put up fences, travel hundreds of kilometres to visit their parishioners, act as counsellors, set up schools and programs, and advocate for Aboriginal and asylum seeker rights.

Bill ‘Swampy’ Marsh has travelled Australia gathering first-hand these memories and yarns to bring together this wonderful collection of seventy stories that so perfectly capture life in the bush. From hilariously irreverent tales of misadventure to reflections on what it means to have faith, these stories serve as a reminder that wherever in this country we may live, and whatever our beliefs may be, a helping hand and sympathetic ear are never far away.

Bill ‘Swampy’ Marsh is an award-winning writer and performer of stories, songs and plays. He spent most of his youth in rural south-western NSW and now lives in Adelaide. this is his thirteenth book.