OSC – They Came and Stayed

Our Sunburnt Country is your core book for this study, it is aimed at 6-12 years old. We have created a supplementary booklist and suggested activities to accompany each chapter.

We estimate it will take you 2-3 weeks per chapter, this will enable you to finish within the year. If you wish to take time to read more books, simply take two years.

We have recommended a mix of picture and chapter books, ones that are likely to be accessible via your local libraries. We have given you several options below in the hope that your library will have some of these. We are not recommending you read all of these books!

We encourage you to read one chapter book and at least one picture book per chapter. Or at least two to four picture books if available.

The books suggested are below in a visual grid.

We haven’t highlighted our favourites deliberately, as we want you to work within your local library and inter-library loans. We don’t want you to go into debt.

Create your own personalised list by opening your book choice and simply clicking the wishlist button to add to your list.

Activities are optional, feel free to choose whichever activities best suit your family.

Our Sunburnt Country – They Came and Stayed pdf

Image	Name	Writers	Illustrators	Tags	Series	Target Age	Print Status	Curriculums
	Barney and the Secret of the French Spies	French, Jackie		1790-1800, Sydney	The Secret History Series	9-13 Years	In Print
	Barney and the Secret of the Whales	French, Jackie		1790-1800, Sydney, Whales, Whaling	The Secret History Series	9-13 Years	In Print
	Bennelong	Phipson, Joan	Stackpool, Walter	Bennelong, Eora Nation, Gadigal People, Sydney	Australians in History Series	7-13 Years	Out Of Print	AO Aust PD, AO4 Aust PD, MA2:2 Aust
	Beth: The Story of a Child Convict	Wilson, Mark	Wilson, Mark	1780-1790, Child Convict, Convicts, First Fleet, Sydney		5-12 Years	In Print
	Birrung the Secret Friend	French, Jackie		1790-1800, Eora Nation, Gadigal People, Sydney	The Secret History Series	9-13 Years	In Print
	John of Nanbaree	Chadwick, Doris		1780-1790, Nanbaree, Sydney		5-14 Years	Out Of Print	MA1B Aust
	John of Sydney Cove	Chadwick, Doris		1780-1790, Sydney		5-14 Years	In Print	AO Aust JD, AO Aust PD, AO4 Aust JD, AO5 Aust PD, MA1B Aust
	John of the Sirius	Chadwick, Doris		1780-1790, First Fleet, Sydney		5-14 Years	In Print	AO Aust JD, AO Aust PD, AO4 Aust JD, AO4 Aust PD, MA1B Aust
	M is for Mutiny!: History by Alphabet	Dickson, John	Emmerichs, Bern	Sydney		8-12 Years	In Print
	Nanberry: Black Brother White	French, Jackie		Eora Nation, Gadigal People, Nanbaree, Surgeon John White		11-15 Years	In Print
	Never Lose Hope : The Story of Australia's First School	Wilson, Mark	Wilson, Mark	Child Convict, Education, Isabella Rosson, Sydney		5-12 Years	In Print
	Our Sunburnt Country	Baillie, Arthur				6-12 Years	In Print	AO Aust JD, AO Aust PD, AO4 Aust JD, AO4 Aust PD, AO5 Aust PD, MA2:2 Aust
	The Castles of Tuhbowgule: The Story of Pemulwuy retold for children	Willmot, Haidi		1790-1800, Eora Nation, Gadigal People, Indigenous Warriors, Pemulwuy		5-14 Years	Out Of Print
	The Good, the Bad and the Silly	Dickson, John	Emmerichs, Bern			10-14 Years	In Print
	The Little Wooden Horse	Wilson, Mark	Wilson, Mark	Child Convict, Orphans, Sydney		5-12 Years	In Print	AO Aust PD, AO4 Aust PD
	The Secret of The Black Bushranger	French, Jackie		1790-1800, Convict Escapee, Convicts, Sydney	The Secret History Series	9-13 Years	In Print
	The Unlikely Story of Bennelong and Phillip	Sedunary, Michael	Emmerichs, Bern	Bennelong, Eora Nation, Gadigal People, Governor Arthur Phillip		5-10 Years	In Print
	Tom Appleby Convict Boy	French, Jackie		1780-1790, Child Convict, First Fleet, Sydney		10-14 Years	In Print
	What’s Your Story?	Giannone, Rose	Emmerichs, Bern	Eora Nation, Gadigal People, Orphans		5-10 Years	In Print

Themes to Cover

• Australian Flora & Fauna
• Colonial Culture
• Colonisation
• Early Settlement
• Indigenous Culture & History

Teacher’s Notes

Barney and the Secret of the French Spies – Jackie French

• Harper Collins

Barney and the Secret of the Whales- Jackie French

• Harper Collins

Beth: The Story of a Child Convict – Mark Wilson

• Lamont Books
• Hachette

Birrung the Secret Friend- Jackie French

• Harper Collins

M is for Mutiny!: History by Alphabet – John Dickson

• Berbay Books

Nanberry: Black Brother White- Jackie French

• Harper Collins
• Resource Scholastic

Never Lose Hope : The Story of Australia’s First School – Mark Wilson

• Lamont Books

The Good, the Bad and the Silly- John Dickson

• Booktopia

The Secret of The Black Bushranger – Jackie French

• Harper Collins
• Scholastic

The Unlikely Story of Bennelong and Phillip – Michael Sedunary

• Scholastic

Tom Appleby Convict Boy – Jackie French

• Booktopia

What’s Your Story? – Rose Giannone

• Scholastic
• Lamont Books

Geography Activities

• Map the Early Settlement include; the Tank Stream, Government Farm & the Observatory
• Map Early Australia, include the landmarks mapped along the coast and inland

History Activities

• When did your family come to Australia? Were they convicts? If so research and share what information you have learnt
• If your family were not convicts, chose an Australian convict identity and research and share. ie Mary Reibey, Francis Greenway or any others
• Research the First and Second Fleets. Compare the condition of the people in each upon arrival. Who was responsible for this?
• Research the Gadigal People, include some of the following: customs, family structure, hunting and gathering practices
• Research and share your findings about one of the early Gadigal known identities such as; Bennelong, Nanbaree, Pemulwuy

STEM Research & Activities

• Make a clay model of a ship from the First Fleet, or an early dwelling in the Early Settlement
• Make a clay or matchstick model of the Early Settlement (for older children)’
• Research Francis Greenway ‘s buildings. Share what you have learnt.
• Research about the unique flora and fauna in Australia, share information for at least one animal or plant/tree you have researched

Language Arts Activities

• You are a marine, or marine’s wife, write a letter ‘home’ to England describing life in Australia
• You are Governor Arthur Phillip write a journal entry as you oversee the settlement in the first few months
• You are a marine, or marine’s wife waiting desperately for the Second Fleet to arrive with more food, write about that time period in your journal
• As Governor Arthur Philip write in your journal about the arrival of the Second Fleet!

Art/Craft/Music Activities

• Make a diorama of one of the buildings or farms in the Early Settlement
• Draw a representation of the Gadigal Peoples campsites
• Imagine you are a member of the Gadigal People, draw upon a ‘cave wall’ telling of what has occurred since the Europeans have arrived
• Listen to and learn at least one of the Early Convict Songs, including Botany Bay

Further Research Areas & Discussion Questions

• How did the European colonisation effect the Gadigal People and the Eora Nation in the early years?
• What interactions did the European settlers have with the Eora Nation?
• How well prepared were the British to make a new settlement in New South Wales? What impact did the background of the majority of the First and Second Fleet convicts have upon early survival?
• In what way did the Marines help or hinder the success of the Early Settlement?
• How well did the Europeans adapt to their new surroundings? Did their customs and culture suit their new country?