Daughter of the Territory

by Jacqueline Hammar

A future Australian classic—an epic story of love and survival in the wilds of the Northern Territory

Jacqueline Hammar has spent most of her life in the remotest reaches of the Northern Territory. In 1919, her father arrived there on the back of a camel. By the time Jacqueline was born, he’d become a mounted trooper, working in a succession of outback towns chasing down murderers and cattle thieves. Jacqueline’s childhood was spent in isolated bush settlements until her parents sent her to boarding school in Darwin to be ‘civilised’.

After finishing school, Jacqueline found herself drawn back to the Territory where she soon met and fell in love with cattleman, Ken Hammar. Together they moved to one of the most inaccessible regions in the Top End. Starting out in a bark hut they’d built themselves, hard work and determination saw them prosper until they had a thriving million-acre cattle station with a more comfortable house, where they brought up their two children.

A larger-than-life tale of adventure, survival and love in some of Australia’s most isolated country, Daughter of the Territory is an extraordinary autobiography that zips along at a cracking pace, with one entertaining yarn after another.

Jacqueline and Ken Hammar are now in their eighties and live in the hinterland of the Gold Coast.

Genres: Australia, Nonfiction, Memoir

450 pages, Paperback

First published March 25, 2015

Reviews

[Shreedevi Gurumurty · Rating 4 out of 5]

The amazing life story of Jacqueline Hammar. Born in Darwin in 1929, Jacqueline's childhood was spent in a succession of bush towns before she was sent to school in Darwin. With the outbreak of World War Two, she moved to Brisbane to finish her education.Returning to her beloved Territory, Jacqueline met and married stockman Ken Hammar, and they moved to a vast property in one of the most inaccessible areas of Australia, transporting corrugated iron and cutting down trees to build a crude hut to live in.With only a kerosene stove, scant possessions and a bed, Jacqueline lived a harsh and isolated existence. Her determination and courage helped her survive many hardships, including having to eat pigweed and sweet potato vines when food was scarce. Meanwhile, she supported Ken as he turned huge tracts of wilderness into a prosperous million-acre cattle station.This story is a testament to a life well lived.Who would have thought that living in the bush would bring about such a people learning curve? But in the bush, people live and work with the same people. Understanding,tolerance,empathy,compassion..all are traits necessary to the continued happy existence of community.And then, of course, guests arrive and further conversations and interactions happen. Living in a natural environment is very challenging, and these are set by mother nature herself; heat, flood, drought. Adaptability is the name of the game.Awareness is important-and by not stopping to listen,smell,watch and observe-yiu are either missing out or endangering yourself.You have to trust your senses,and pay closer attention. You have to trust that you know what to do next. If you don't get what you thought you would get,you always get the lesson, experience, gift your soul needs to grow and deepen in love.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened to this as an audio book and thoroughly enjoyed the story and the narrator. The author wrote of a world now mostly gone with humour and an obvious fondness. I enjoyed going along for the ride ( literally)!

[Sue · Rating 2 out of 5]

As a Memoir this book was worth reading.

[Alayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story of a woman who was born in the Northern Territory in 1929, the same year my mother was born. The story of the hard men and (few) white women of the time, the bombing of Darwin and the war that changed everything, and life in the very harsh regions that even today are only accessible by 4WD. Jackie was in her middle 80s when she wrote this book, which is quite incredible. At times it seems a little disjointed, but mostly it is a very interesting book, especially to those of us who have travelled out there. A map at the front of the book was referred to by me constantly. Highly recommended.

[Gina · Rating 3 out of 5]

One can really admire any woman who is willing and able to endure the harsh realities of the Australian bush! Jacqueline wields a fascinating story of her life - including its challenges and highlights. She writes (or her editors inspire) an epic recount of her most notable adventures and encounters with all sorts of people. Easy reading and a quick page turner has this book read in no time at all!

[Shereen Lang · Rating 4 out of 5]

One can really admire any woman who is willing and able to endure the harsh realities of the Australian bush! Jacqueline wields a fascinating story of her life - including its challenges and highlights.
The real life in the Northern territory, with tough times, and good times, sadness and humour.
You must admire the women of the bush it would not have been easy in the 1900s but they just got on with it and made the most of Station life.

[Gary Hayes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finished reading this wonderful story this morning, and enjoyed every page of Jacqueline's wonderful story.
The author painted such a vivid picture of real life in the Northern territory, with tough times, and good times, sadness and humour.
A book I would recommend to all who love to read about the true Australian outback.

[Kitty · Rating 1 out of 5]

Pretty average. Whilst the stories of life in the outback in the early to late 1900’s are interesting, the flow of writing is weird and off putting, and I found the passages that talked about the indigenous people often came off as pretty racist.

[Marika · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting and informative journey on the life of the outback territorians, fantastic read and never realised how hard it was for those early settlers to the NT

[Penny · Rating 4 out of 5]

This lady is one "bad-ass" woman. She writes of her experiences in the outback and tells some tales of the people who lived there in the recent past. Also, she had a Brolga as a pet.

[Juanita · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book all Gen Y and politicians should be required to read.

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very entertaining read and at times very humorous.

[Anna Ciddor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Listened on audio. Loved the real Aussie voice of the reader, totally appropriate. A good yarn about life in the outback.

[gaye mcbride · Rating 5 out of 5]

Execellent

Brings to life a time past never to be again lived. The author takes you to these places and experiences as if you were there

[mark maybury · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a charming read

[Emma Steel · Rating 3 out of 5]

A really long book, at times I wondered if I was ever going to finish. It was ok and passed the time.

[Mel Stephenson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Randomly came across this book and so glad I read it. It's interesting hearing stories about the NT

[Wendy Kendall · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. Listened to the audio version. Came from the land, and could appreciate the life, particularly in the later years of the book.

I give this 4.5 🌟

[Sarah Croft · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a story! It takes an incredibly strong woman to survive the life she lived, and I can honestly say I wouldn't make it.

[Belinda McLean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Slow book to get through but an incredible story about life in the outback back in the early 90s - very inspiring!

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books I have ever read. Full of interesting outback pioneering stories written imaginatively and beautifully!

[Rochelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating journey through the burning Australian desert. An epic journey through a harsh yet magical part of the world. What an experience!

[Amanda - Mrs B's Book Reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

Daughter of the Territory is a comprehensive autobiography outlining the early pioneering days, hardworking people and hardships of living in remote Australia. Author Jacqueline Hammar recalls her childhood experiences living both in Darwin and remote bush locales from her eighty plus years living in the region. The book begins with Jack, Jacqueline’s Father, a World War I veteran who worked on the establishment of the territory’s telegraph line to Darwin. Jack then went on to become a mounted police constable, which took him and his family to the far reaches of the Territory. Despite her boarding school education in Darwin, Jacqueline clearly had a calling to the land. She married a stockman and together they managed an expansive property in one of the most inhospitable regions of outback Australia. Even having a family of her own did not deter Jacqueline from living such a harsh existence. Instead , her inner strength and love for the land shines through in her children and her tales gleaned from the bush.
Daughter of the Territory offers any reader with a glimpse of an interest in Australia’s history, particularly of the Northern Territory region of Australia an accessible, authentic, first-hand account of the area. Told through the journals kept by the author and her father, the book is mainly told from a woman’s point of view. It also offers the reader a different perspective of the history and development of the area. Daughter of the Territory contains a plethora of colourful personalities and stories that come straight the heart. Jacqueline’s life has clearly been touched by these people and the experiences they have brought her. Hardship is a strong theme I pulled from the book, along with the remoteness of the area. Many of the chapters of the book focus on the sheer isolation of the Territory. Despite the harshness of life in the Territory, this book has increased my desire to pay the beautiful places mentioned in the book a visit someday soon.
If you are in the mood for an outback adventure and history, Daughter of the Territory might just be for you. I enjoyed Jacqueline Hammar’s expressive yarn about life in the red centre of Australia.

[Mick Gillies]

This is the story of Jacqueline who was born and bred in the Northern Territory from 1929 onwards. Apart from a short stint in Brisbane her entire life was spent battling harsh living conditions, perilous situations and the true killer of the outback - isolation. Having grown up in many a bush pub ran be her family her tale begins. Upon meeting and eventually marrying a cattleman/adventurer named Ken Hammar her true experiences within the Top End took on whole new aspects.

This is an incredible tale that is eclipsed solely by all the hardships and good times that were tackled every hour of every day. Not to be classed as a glimpse of outback life but more so a personal history of the Northern Territory as seen through the eyes of a person first hand. There are so many pages I could relate to or quote from that I'd feel as if all I have done is transpose this book to my review. All I can truly say is read this and know a life and land that has truly lived and flourished - Brilliant 5 stars for sure

[Anne Peachey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Daughter of the Territory by Jacqueline Hammer follows her life story from her birth in Darwin, Northern Territory in 1929.
She spent her childhood in many different bush towns then onto Darwin for school and then Brisbane in Queensland to finish her education at the outbreak of World War Two.
She returned to the Territory and met her future husband. After they married they moved onto a huge cattle station.
This book follows the harsh life of a white woman in the Australian Outback.
There are many stories of isolation, floods, fires, sickness, births and deaths.
Jacqueline has written this book describing the harsh beauty, the emptiness and the determination that is needed to survive and make a successful livelihood in a inhospitable place.
There is many places and names that anyone who knows a little about the Northern Territories Cattle Industry's history will recognise and enjoy.

[Kalliste · Rating 3 out of 5]

**** I received a free copy of Daughter of the Territory as part of Goodreads First-reads ****

This was an interesting read of life in Northern Territory back when no one knew much of anything about it. I was quite surprised to learn how people were living out in the bush up until the 70's.. I can't imagine barely living with power for the majority of my life in an isolated outback.

The book was a bit here and there. Some of the stories were great and interesting but other parts dull and slow but I suppose that is life. It's not always exciting.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

***ARC***

I found parts of this book a little slow but for the most part I really enjoyed reading of the author's experience of life in the Outback. Reading of familiar places I've been to or lived near also helped add to the enjoyment. The imagery which was in my head from the descriptions of events and experiences of the author was another plus.

[Cassy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book ago a girl growing up in the Outback. It was so interesting to read about things that my Great Grandma, who is five years older than the author and is still alive and kicking, would have experienced to some extent. i would recommend to anyone who wants to read about life in Outback Australia.

[Judith · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an interesting memoir of life on a cattle station in Northern Territory. It gives the reader wonderful insights into this frontier territory. Jacqueline Hammar was born in 1929. The story begins with her childhood, follows her through her teenage years into her married life with Ken Hammar. She is a brave woman with huge amounts of fortitude. I think the book is well worth reading.

[Zuzu Burford · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful insight into an era long gone.