Seven Little Australians
| Company type | Children's literature |
|---|---|
| Industry | Publishing |
| Founded | 1894 |
| Founder | Ethel Turner |
| Headquarters | Sydney , Australia |
| Products | Novel, adaptations (film, television mini-series, stage productions, musical) |
Seven Little Australians stands as a renowned work in Australian children's literature, authored by Ethel Turner and first published in 1894. The narrative is predominantly set in 1880s Sydney and chronicles the escapades of the seven Woolcot siblings, their authoritarian father Captain Woolcot, who serves in the military, and their youthful stepmother Esther.
Turner composed this novel in 1893 while residing at Inglewood in the rural area of Lindfield (present-day Woodlands, Killara, New South Wales), having relocated from the inner-city suburb of Paddington two years earlier. The natural bushland environment of the suburbs significantly shaped Turner's storytelling. On her 21st birthday, she recorded in her diary, 'Seven L. Aust. – sketched it out.' By 1994, it was notable as the sole Australian-written book to remain continuously in print for a century. The original manuscript is preserved by the State Library of NSW, where it has been digitized and made available online. Initially, Turner had titled the work 'Seven Pickles.'
This novel has inspired various adaptations, including a feature film, two television mini-series, numerous stage productions, and a musical.
Characters
The central figures are the seven Woolcot children, listed from eldest to youngest:
- Meg (Margaret), age 16: the eldest sister who is naive and romantic, often acting as a stand-in mother.
- Pip (Philip), age 14: the oldest brother, attractive and clever but frequently misbehaved.
- Judy (Helen), age 13: spirited and imaginative, she often instigates pranks alongside Pip.
- Nell (Elinor), age 10: noted for her beauty and somewhat melancholic demeanor.
- Bunty (John), age 6: characterized as 'fat and very lazy,' he is selfish yet affectionate.
- Baby (Winifred), age 4: the most well-mannered child, who was an infant when their mother passed away.
- 'The General' (Francis Rupert Burnand): the youngest sibling and only biological child of Esther, their stepmother.
Plot summary
Set in Sydney during the 1880s, the story revolves around seven children living with their distant army captain father and their young stepmother Esther, who finds it challenging to manage them. The children often create chaos by disrupting their parents’ social occasions and complaining about their meals.
Following an incident where Judy and Pip embarrass Captain Woolcot at his military barracks, Judy is sent away to a boarding school located in the Blue Mountains.
Meg becomes influenced by an older girl named Aldith to enhance her appearance and encounters two young men. She believes she is in love with Alan, the elder brother of one suitor. However, after a misunderstood encounter, Alan criticizes Meg for becoming 'spoilt.' Later, Meg faints due to tight-lacing her waist under Aldith’s influence.
Judy escapes from school and returns home, hiding in the barn. Despite her declining health from the journey, her siblings keep her presence secret until their father discovers her after disciplining one of them. He initially plans to send Judy back to school but changes his mind when she shows symptoms indicative of pneumonia and tuberculosis risk.
To support Judy’s recuperation, Esther’s parents invite the family to their sheep station called Yarrahappini. During a picnic there, a ringbarked tree topples dangerously near 'the General,' Esther’s youngest child. Judy intervenes to protect him but suffers a fatal spinal injury before assistance can arrive.
After laying Judy to rest on the property, the family returns to Sydney profoundly affected by her loss. Captain Woolcot experiences regret over never fully understanding Judy and begins to show more warmth toward his remaining children.
1894 Edition: The Lost Tale of Tettawonga
An Indigenous story originally featured in the 1894 edition was excluded from every publication between 1897 and 1994.
During a visit to the cattle station, the Woolcot children listen as Mr Gillet shares an Aboriginal legend told by Tettawonga, the station’s Indigenous stockman:
"'Long ago,' Mr Gillet began, 'when this land was still in its infancy... when the forebears of Tettawonga were courageous and resilient... before the arrival of white settlers brought challenges... a young kookaburra and its partner journeyed towards the violet-hued mountains beyond the gum trees...'"
Clare Bradford observed that removing this narrative resulted in a version of Australian history that was less complex than what the original edition conveyed. Brenda Niall proposed that commercial publishers cut the story from early reprints to utilize the space for advertisements, leveraging the book’s popularity.
Subsequent Publications
Ethel Turner authored three additional novels centered on the Woolcot family:
- The Family at Misrule picks up five years later, introducing baby Esther.
- Judy and Punch explores Judy’s experiences at boarding school and her encounter with Punch aboard a train.
- Little Mother Meg portrays Meg caring for her children while Peter and Essie spy on a neighbour’s garden through a gap in the fence.
Screen and Stage Adaptations
The novel was transformed into a theatrical production in 1914 by Beaumont Smith.
Its first cinematic version premiered in 1939 under director Arthur Greville Collins, with filming taking place at Commonwealth Film Laboratories in Sydney and locations around Camden, New South Wales.
In 1953, the BBC aired a six-episode television miniseries adaptation.
ABC Television produced a ten-episode series in 1973 that closely followed the original narrative, though some character appearances were altered, such as Judy’s physique and Meg’s hair color.
A musical theatre rendition debuted in Melbourne and Sydney in 1988 and continues to enjoy popularity among community theatre groups and educational institutions.
Julia Britton’s site-specific stage adaptation, directed by Robert Chuter, was performed at Rippon Lea from December 1997 through January 1998.
Anne Scott-Pendlebury authored a two-act play directed by C.A. Duff and produced by The Wangaratta Players Inc., which premiered at the Wangaratta Performing Arts Centre during their Opening Festival and City Golden Jubilee Celebrations. This production included musical interludes featuring compositions by Miriam Hyde performed by local youth.
List of Chapters
- Chiefly Descriptive
- Fowl for Dinner
- Virtue Not Always Rewarded
- The General Sees Active Service
- "Next Monday Morning"
- The Sweetness of Sweet Sixteen
- "What Say You to Falling in Love?"
- A Catapult and a Catastrophe
- Consequences
- Bunty in the Light of a Hero
- The Truant
- Swish, Swish!
- At Thy Last
- Uninvited Guests
- The Squatter's Invitation
- Three Hundred Miles in the Train
- Yarrahappini
- Cattle-Drafting at Yarrahappini
- The Picnic at Krangi-Bahtoo
- A Pale-Blue Hair Ribbon
- Little Judy
- When the Sun Went Down
- And Last
Audiobook Versions
- Seven Little Australians (2009 Audiobook) produced by Kalliope Audiobooks, narrated by Drew deCarvalho, directed by Roy Yokelson of Antland Productions
- Seven Little Australians (2009 digital talking book) available in DAISY format, created by the Association for the Blind of Western Australia
See also
- Seven Little Australians Park, located in Lindfield, New South Wales, takes its name from the novel
- Original manuscript of Seven Little Australians (1893) by Ethel Turner, housed at the State Library of New South Wales