Three young Aboriginal men in their last year of school, and living on the same street, are facing their adult lives and all it might entail. Each
has a dream, a secret, and fond memories of younger lives in their coastal Australian town of Carraway’s Point.
They used to be mates when they were younger, playing cricket in the street with wheelie bins as the wickets, daring each other to swim across newly found waterholes in the river, and hanging out at each other’s homes.
Now, after drifting apart for different reasons and with school nearly over, they’re looking forward to leaving Carraway Point.
Kallum has already experienced Sydney. A skilled footy player, and with dreams of playing for the NRL, he won a scholarship to a Sydney boarding school. Things were great until he got in a fight with another student. He’s certain a white boy wouldn’t have been expelled for the fight, but the reason behind it all still burns inside him.
Jordy and Kallum used to be mates, but when Kallum joined the footy guys at the gym and on the field, they drifted apart. Jordy coming out has changed his friends dynamic completely, but he’s too busy at home to spend much time thinking about that. With his mum gone, his dad is drinking every night, leaving many of the home responsibilities up to Jordy. He doesn’t mind looking out for his little sister and brother, but he’s leaving for acting school in Sydney, and he worries about leaving them behind.
Dylan wishes they could go back to the fun memories of their childhoods. Ever since he saw his best friend Brandon shot dead in front of him, he’s all but consumed by it. He’s the only witness, besides the white policeman who shot him, and as the trial approaches, the town is abuzz with what will happen.
Anger rises when White Power graffiti is found on the supermarket wall, and protests are building. Will the officer get off because he is white and Brandon, Aboriginal? Dylan feels the pressure from both sides, his only real escape is his film making.
Gary Lonesborough’s writing is always so authentic, and I was quickly and easily immersed in these young men’s lives at fictional Carraway Point.
Told in three sperate viewpoints, in one section of the novel after the other, time also moved on over several months. This allows the reader to get glimpses of the other character’s lives within that viewpoint as time passes.
There are powerful conflicts in the novel, both inner and outer. There are those who spew the White Power hate speech and actions, the boy’s inner turmoils on their sexuality or parental expectations, and the misconceptions they have of each other after they have drifted away from changing friendship dynamics.
A touching, powerful read.
Author – Gary Lonesborough
Age – 16+
Find more Gary Lonesborough novels here
Publisher – Allen & Unwin
Set – Fictional Australian Coastal Town / Present
Viewpoint – 3 viewpoints / 1st person
Violence – Yes
Sex – Yes
Real Life – Yes
Fantasy – No
Blend – Real Life / Racism / LGBTQ+
(2026, Allen & Unwin, Bullies, Conflict, LGBTQ+, Crime, Family, Real Life, Friendship, Grief, Growing up, Murder, Secret, Friendship Dynamics, Gay, Relationships, Football, NRL, Dreams, Film making, Coastal Town, Aboriginal, Racism, Prejudice, Coming of Age)