Rob Laurent and his brothers spent an idyllic childhood in the unlikely surrounds of the 10,000-hectare Werribee sewage treatment farm where their father, Bob, worked during the 1950s. At the time Werribee Farm’s environmentally-friendly methods of treating waste was unique in the world. Werribee Farm tells of the boys’ escapades, the characters they meet, and the wildlife they encounter as they explore the maze of wetlands and canals around them. Older brother John is a budding scientist, always searching for items of natural history to add to his “museum.” Young Rob is more interested in Bob’s after-hours hobby of woodwork. It is during their evenings in the shed together that Rob learns of his father’s abused childhood, and his determination to avoid the mistakes of the past. Family unity is a major theme of this story, in a setting that often tests the bonds between the members of the author’s family. This is a paperback book, printed on quality art paper with sewn binding. The 195 pages include 18 pages of black-and-white photos depicting Australia during the post- war decade. $12.50 AUD (includes postage within Australia)