Home › Large Print Books › Sisters of the Southern Cross
  • Sisters of the Southern Cross by Jean Grainger book cover
  • Sisters of the Southern Cross by Jean Grainger book cover
1 2

Sisters of the Southern Cross

by Jean Grainger

A mission school in 1930s Queensland

$22.66 USD
$28.33 USD $22.66 USD
Save 20%

Paperback New

Delivery to your door
In stock·Dispatches in 1–2 business days
Standard shipping* from $4.35
Standard shipping transit* 5–8 business days after dispatch

Faster options are available.

Rates and delivery estimates depend on your destination and item quantity. Estimates are informational only; the final shipping method and rate are selected at checkout.
Secure checkout
American Express Apple Pay DiscoverGoogle Pay Mastercard PayPalVisa
30-day eligible returns Returns & refunds policy

AlbakiReads Editorial

A mission school in 1930s Queensland

Set in Jumaaroo, Queensland, in 1936, the novel brings Sister Claire McAuliffe from Ireland to join four other nuns establishing a Catholic school for families connected to the gold rush. The tropical setting is matched by a tightly controlled local community, where the arrival of the sisters unsettles existing relationships. Claire’s growing concern about the treatment of the Bundagulgi people places her at odds with those who prefer to preserve the status quo. The story connects religious mission work with questions of authority, community prejudice, and the risks of challenging accepted practices.

Good fit for readers who enjoy

  • Readers interested in historical fiction set in 1930s Australia.
  • Readers seeking fiction that explores Catholic mission life and the treatment of Aboriginal people.
  • Readers drawn to stories about a character confronting local power and established norms.

Themes

Catholic mission lifeColonialism and Aboriginal experienceCommunity authorityMoral resistance

Based on publisher information and book metadata.

Book overview

Queensland, Australia 1936

 

Sister Claire McAuliffe has been called from Dungarvan, County Waterford, to do God's work in Jumaaroo, Queensland. Along with four other sisters she is charged with setting up a Catholic school for the education of the gold rush families. But life between the tropical Australian rainforest and azure ocean is far from the spectacular paradise it seems.

 

Sister Claire finds life challenging in more ways than she can count, the heat, the terrifying creatures that lurk in every nook and cranny, the crocodiles and snakes, but far more worrying is the constant presence of the much loved mayor of Jumaaroo, Joseph McGrath. Why does a person so respected give Claire such cause for concern? Is it the cruel way he speaks about the Aboriginal people who live on the mission? A closed community run by a peculiar religious leader who seems to deeply resent the arrival of the nuns?

 

As Claire learns of the manner in which the Bundagulgi are treated, she is forced to act, but nobody wants to upset the status quo, and a meddlesome nun suddenly is a dangerous one.

Shipping & returnsShipping options, delivery timing, and our return policy.

In-stock items normally dispatch within 1–2 business days. The ZIP-code estimator on this page is informational only; the final shipping method, price, and availability are confirmed at checkout for your full order.

For the initial delivery estimate we use these transit windows after dispatch: Standard 5–8 business days, Expedited 2–4 business days, and Priority 1–2 business days. Holiday delays are not included.

Eligible items can be returned within 30 days in accordance with our return policy.

Customer reviews

You may also like

View all