Gripped by Drought

Arthur W. Upfield (1890–1964) wrote twenty-nine Bony mystery stories between 1929 and 1962, as well as several other books including mysteries, romances, and an autobiography. Arthur W. Upfield was born in England, but moved to Australia and adopted it as his homeland. He travelled throughout the country and tried his hand at many trades, including boundary rider and station hand. His travels lent him a wealth of first-hand experiences that make his books fascinating and believable. He captures the majesty of Australia, especially the outback country, and its people.

John Derum has been acting, writing and directing for theatre and television since his teenage years. He has performed More Than a Sentimental Bloke, his tribute to C.J. Dennis, more than 500 times around Australia. He has recorded the audiobooks of the Joseph Furphy classic novels, Such Is Life, Rigby’s Romance and The Buln-Buln and the Brolga. In 2019, John was appointed a member of the Order of Australia (AM) for his significant contribution to the performing arts and the community.