Shack Life: The Survival Story of Three Royal National Park Communities

by Ingeborg van Teeseling

Shack Life tells the story of three small beachside communities in the Royal National Park south of Sydney – Era, Burning Palms and Little Garie – and how their residents fought to save their beloved shacks. During the Depression, starving miners and their families made their way ‘down the hill’ to a place by the sea where they could live on fish, rabbits and home-grown vegetables. Hundreds of shacks, only able to be reached on foot, sprung up, and are still standing today. Since the 1960s governments have tried to have the shacks pulled down but the communities, with the help of their Protection League, fought back each time and won. In frank interviews with ‘shackies’ and stunning photographs this book explores the fascinating history of these quintessentially Australian shacks.

304 pages, Paperback

Published August 1, 2017

Reviews

[Jo Pannett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I loved reading the stories by the shack owners about the history of their shacks,how they got the materials to the various places to build them ,the various characters that owned them and how they came to own them .Fascinating
It also tells of the constant battles with the NPWS( which had been going on for longer than i knew of)

Loved being able to get a look at both outside and inside of these buildings and the strong communities that tend them .The photographs are fantastic.
Thank you to the owners of these great homes for keeping the dream alive and giving us a look into life in your shacks .

Thanks Ingeborg for a wonderful and historical book

[Riley Buchanan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Picked up this book to do a bit of reading on the Shacks at Era and it certainly delivered. This was a comprehensive history and portrait of those who own the shacks in the National Park.

It was interesting hearing the stories of the ‘Shackies’ as their lives are so connected to Era, Little Garie and Burning Palms.

Unfortunately, this was a library book so I had to return it and didn’t get to finish it.