Breaking Free from Colonial Storytelling
Australian historical fiction has a unique twang to it, which seem quite confusing to other nationalities, but to a local—even though we acknowledge its weirdness—it often takes up a special place in our hearts. Yet, while some of these stories are more than endearing, others can seem, well… off. And it took me several years to understand what was missing: authentic voices… as opposed to quirky Aussie-ness. That’s not a knife…anyone?
When you think about the country’s history, it’s incredible to consider that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history spans an amazing 65,000 years, yet most of our Australian historical fiction has focused on just the last 235 years. Or, since European colonisation began in 1788? This imbalance tells its own story about whose histories we have valued, but in more recent years, we’re beginning to see meaningful change.
Even after Patrick White became our first Nobel Prize winner for Literature back in 1973, Australian historical fiction novels struggled with authentic representation. Many stories glorified colonial settlement while overlooking Indigenous perspectives or… at worst… parodied and stereotyped said characters. But here’s the kicker: we’re witnessing a real transformation. For instance, three out of four Australians (of those tested) hold negative unconscious biases towards First Nations peoples… which is why it’s so important that Australian historical fiction authors continue using their platforms to challenge these biases through more nuanced storytelling.
I’ve been following this shift closely, especially the pushback from those unwilling to accept this change. Just mention ‘welcome to country’ and try not get your face chewed off. But it’s also been eye-opening to learn how… somewhere such as the Australian Museum has gathered input from 805 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander respondents to create a more authentic narrative.
The familiar ANZAC spirit is one that Australian’s hold near and dear—and rightly so, too. It’s a story which has dominated so many novels, but… we’ve failed to share the literary stage with stories addressing the denial of Indigenous treatment and the frontier wars.
Let’s explore how Australian historical fiction is breaking free from its colonial roots and embracing a more truthful, inclusive approach to our shared past, and I’d love to take you on this journey with me!
The Colonial Roots of Australian Historical Fiction
People have always felt uncomfortable with how Australian historical fiction began, and for good reason. But for all the good we’ve achieved (to a point where we should be extremely grateful for what our country has developed into) much of it’s built on a troubling foundation. White Australia Policy is a glaring example of that, and although it’s not easy to admit, this uncomfortable truth has shaped our early narratives in ways that still influence our literary landscape today.
Early Narratives and the Glorification of Settlement
When I first began reading Australian literature, I was struck by how early Australian historical fiction primarily celebrated British colonisation as an achievement rather than acknowledging its devastating impacts. Works like Eleanor Dark’s: The Timeless Land tried to depict first contact between Captain Arthur Phillip and Aboriginal leader Bennelong, but even these more nuanced works approached history through a distinctly European lens.
You will notice how fiction from this period often portrayed Australia as an empty continent awaiting civilisation. Reads such as Dark Emu go a long way into proving this couldn’t be further from the truth, but these stories also help to challenge the myth of terra nullius—a false idea that the land belonged to no one before Europeans arrived.
The concept of settlement rather than invasion has also dominated Australian narratives. This isn’t just a matter of word choice… it’s a fundamental mischaracterisation of historical events to position colonisers as builders rather than conquerors. But for me, as a fourth generation Australian, this offers a clear juxtaposition, because these people did build the country—which I know and recognise today—but in the same breath, they destroyed a much older one.
And, for many Australians, I’m betting this is where much of the conflict lies, because, until the late 1980s, this ‘builder’ perspective was taught in schools, creating generations of Australians (me included) raised on sanitised versions of our history.
The Absence of Indigenous Voices in Early Works
The erasure of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives from early Australian historical fiction isn’t merely an oversight, either. And… more-so, it has been a form of cultural malevolence.
I was profoundly affected by Eualayai/Gamillaroi scholar Larissa Behrendt’s observation that colonial storytelling often moulded Aboriginal cultural practices into mechanisms for conflict, mystery, and terror, prioritising white audience engagement over cultural respect.
This appropriation extended to the theft and distortion of Indigenous stories themselves. When I discovered collections like C.W. Peck’s: Australian Legends (1925), I was troubled to learn how he gathered these stories without proper cultural context or permission. Despite these stories originating from cultural knowledge shared by Indigenous elders like Ellen Anderson (daughter of Dharawal Elder Biddy Giles), Peck’s relationship with the Anderson family quickly soured, yet he still published fifty-two stories with minimal understanding of their cultural significance. Screw you, Peck!
Do you find it disturbing how these early narratives reinforced harmful stereotypes that portrayed Indigenous Australians as either obstacles to progress, noble savages, or people needing white salvation? Well… this pattern created what Henrietta Fourmile described as Aboriginal people becoming captives of the archives, where their histories were recorded… and interpreted through a colonial lens.
The Turning Point: Indigenous and Multicultural Perspectives Emerge
I’ll never forget attending a literary festival in 2018 where I first heard Aboriginal authors reading from their historical fiction. The power of those stories was enough to bring a tear to the eye… not only because it represented a new era in Australian historical fiction as Indigenous, but their voices finally began to break through in the literary landscape.
Thankfully, as the 21st century progressed, Blak (sic) voices have been emerging in academia and literature, and more stories are being told their way. This shift stands for more than just diversity in authorship—it signals a fundamental reimagining of Australia’s historical narrative.
Rise of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Storytelling
Have you considered how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander storytelling traditions extend back 65,000 years? These narratives have been preserved through oral traditions that substantiate Indigenous perspectives about past, present, and future. Speaking remains the primary form of communication in these cultures, with concepts and beliefs passed on from generation to generation through specific cultural practices, traditions, languages, laws and family relationships.
Impact of Multicultural Migration on Historical Fiction
At the same time, Australia’s multicultural reality began reshaping its historical fiction. Following the dismantling of the White Australia Policy in the 1970s, the literary landscape gradually reflected the nation’s diverse heritage, and… I’ve watched with excitement as Australian historical fiction authors started examining themes previously absent from mainstream narratives.
The resulting transformation has produced Australian historical fiction novels that consciously resist what Kate Kruimink identifies as white supremacy as a founding principle.
Jane Harrison’s: The Visitors, reimagines the First Fleet’s arrival through Aboriginal eyes, and… it’s a story I couldn’t put it down, because it provides a vital portrayal of that first moment of permanent settlement by the British from perspectives that weren’t written down, despite it being passed through oral tradition.
Additionally, writers—such as I—from various ethnicities increasingly contribute to Australian historical fiction, addressing themes like refugee experiences and migrant stories. These Australian historical fiction writers enrich the genre through what Kim Scott (the first Aboriginal Australian to win the Miles Franklin Award) and others show as stories that survive cultural brutalism while offering authentic alternatives to nationalist myths.
Modern Australian Historical Fiction: Breaking Stereotypes
I’ve been collecting Australian historical fiction for several years now, and I’m thrilled to see how contemporary works are breaking new ground by challenging conventional storytelling modes. A vibrant transformation has swept through the genre, moving beyond traditional historical narratives toward more abstract interpretations of our past.
New Generation of Australian Historical Fiction Writers
According to the Chair of the 2024 ARA Historical Novel Prize, Tony Maniaty, many Australian historical fiction writers are emboldened to break the boundaries of conventional historical fiction. I’ve embraced this shift myself… and my debut novel spreads to that, but… these authors are moving away from classic focus on historical movements to giving strong voice to characters often left out of official records. Their approach invites us to consider notions of our nations past in fresh ways.
Have you discovered notable Australian historical fiction authors like Kim Scott, Melissa Lucashenko, and Lucy Treloar? Their narratives directly confront Australia’s colonial myths… in ways that’ll keep you burning the midnight oil. Their works explore fashion, art, architecture, and landscape as alternative entry points into historical storytelling. This creative evolution comes from both established and emerging voices, with a quality of writing that can only be described as exceptional.
Themes of Resistance, Survival, and Truth-telling
I find it powerful that modern Australian historical fiction books prominently feature themes of resistance, survival, and truth-telling. I found myself moved by Melissa Lucashenko’s work… which notably torches Queensland’s colonial myths, while reimagining an Australian future. Many Australian historical fiction novels now address what anthropologist Bill Stanner identified as the Great Australian Silence being the deliberate omission of Aboriginal truths from Australia’s historical narrative.
These works challenge what has been termed the cult of forgetfulness by revealing truths about colonial violence and dispossession. They recognise that historical fiction can provide truths about the past that inform our understanding of what happened, even as they acknowledge that fiction isn’t history.
What I find most valuable is how contemporary Australian historical fiction serves a broader social purpose by drawing comparisons between past and present issues. Through meticulous research and immersive storytelling techniques, these authors allow us to travel in someone else’s shoes… further aiding in creation of narratives that acknowledge structural violence while advancing reconciliation and healing.
Notable Australian Historical Fiction Novels Redefining the Genre
Several Australian historical fiction novels have earned permanent spots on my bookshelf for their groundbreaking approaches. Jane Harrison’s: The Visitors reimagines the First Fleet’s arrival through Aboriginal eyes, presenting seven Elders of the Eora nation who gather on Gadigal country to witness and respond to European ships. I couldn’t stop thinking about this perspective-shifting novel, long after I finished reading it.
In contrast, reading Mirandi Riwoe’s: Stone Sky Gold Mountain, which explores Queensland’s 1870s goldfields through the eyes of Chinese siblings… exposing the complex racial dynamics where the Chinese are certainly oppressed, but then the white people and Chinese people are united in their brutalism of Aboriginal people. It’s a challenging but essential read.
Alongside these, Fiona McFarlane’s: The Sun Walks Down, set in South Australia in 1883, uses multiple viewpoints to examine colonialism through the search for a missing child. And I can’t recommend Tara June Winch’s: The Yield highly enough. It’s a story which moves between time periods to tell a compelling story of dispossession and survival, earning multiple awards for its innovative approach.
Authors Leading the Change: A Look at Australian Historical Fiction Authors
Finally, I’ve been fortunate enough to live in a time where several Australian historical fiction authors, and their diverse perspectives are increasingly reshaping historical narratives. Indigenous writers like Kim Scott have been instrumental in this transformation. His novel: That Deadman Dance—set in early 1800s Western Australia—portrays what was once called: the friendly frontier. Through multiple perspectives, it’s a story which sets about challenging simplistic colonial narratives and, hopefully, there is many more like to follow.
Conclusion
Australian historical fiction has undoubtedly evolved from its problematic colonial roots toward a more truthful portrayal of our nation’s complex past. I’ve witnessed this journey firsthand, from the traditional narratives that once glorified settlement while erasing Indigenous perspectives to today’s authentic storytelling that acknowledges our full history. The genre now stands at an exciting crossroads where diverse voices contribute to a richer, more nuanced understanding of Australia’s historical tapestry.
The emergence of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander authors, alongside writers from varied cultural backgrounds, has fundamentally reshaped what Australian historical fiction means today. These authors challenge what Bill Stanner called: the Great Australian Silence by crafting powerful counter-narratives that confront colonial myths head-on. As readers, we now engage with stories that acknowledge both structural violence and cultural resilience, offering pathways toward reconciliation rather than reinforcing harmful stereotypes.
Looking at the prize-winning works I’ve discussed; one thing becomes clear: Australian historical fiction no longer serves merely as entertainment but functions as a vital tool for truth-telling. Authors like Jane Harrison, Kim Scott, and Melissa Lucashenko prove how fiction can illuminate historical truths that official records often overlook or deliberately erase. Their works encourage us to question simplified narratives and consider multiple perspectives on events that shaped our nation.
The transformation of Australian historical fiction reflects broader societal shifts toward acknowledging our full history. Though this journey is still unfinished, each new work that challenges colonial storytelling brings us closer to a literary landscape that honours all 65,000 years of human experience on this continent. After all, when historical fiction breaks free from colonial constraints, it doesn’t just change how we view the past… it opens new possibilities for how we might imagine our shared future.
What historical fiction novels have challenged your understanding of your nation’s past? Have you discovered any Indigenous authors whose work has shifted your perspective? I’d love to hear your recommendations in the comments below!
