Cockatoos

This novel follows the story of 16-year-old Ignez Milford who wants to leave her farming community to pursue a singing career. The book is set in the 1900s in Goulburn in the Australian state of New South Wales. The novel has been called a slice of the Australian story that will probably last longer than most contemporary history, and a reminder of the exodists who left Australia because they found it a disappointing country. Miles Franklin (1879-1954) a female writer, is an important figure in the history of Australian literature, best known for her novel "My Brilliant Career" (1901). She was committed to the development of a uniquely Australian form of literature, and she actively pursued this goal through her endowment of a major annual prize, 'The Miles Franklin Award'. Her impact was further recognised in 2013 with the creation of the Stella Prize, awarded annually for the best work of literature by an Australian woman.