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The Wild Australia Stories #3
Billabong Bend
From the best-selling author of Brumby’s Run and Currawong Creek comes an evocative tale of love and loyalty, set in the heart of Australia’s riverlands.
Can Nina protect the wild place she holds so close to her heart? Or will the man she once loved destroy it?
For Nina Moore, the rare marshland flanking the beautiful Bunyip River is the most precious place on Earth. Her dream is to buy Billabong Bend and protect it forever, but she’s not the only one with designs on the land.
When her childhood sweetheart, Ric Bonelli, returns home, old feelings are rekindled and Nina dares to dream of a future for them both on the river. But a tragic death divides loyalties and threatens to tear apart their fledgling relationship.
This star-crossed rural romance sets Nina, a floodplains grazier, and Ric, a traditional cotton farmer, on a heart-rending collision course amid the beauty of northern New South Wales.
- Praise for Billabong Bend –
‘Like Currawong Creek before it, Billabong Bend is yet another great read by Jennifer Scoullar.’ Weekly Times
‘An absorbing story … beautifully written.’ Reading, Writing and Riesling
‘Billabong Bend is a captivating read.’ Book’d Out
436 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2014
68 people are currently reading
203 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer Scoullar
24 books133 followersJennifer Scoullar Bio
Jennifer has always harboured a deep appreciation and respect for the natural world. Her house is on a hill-top, overlooking valleys of messmate and mountain ash. A pair of old eagles live there too. Black-shouldered wallabies graze by the creek. Eastern Spinebills hover among the callistemon. Jennifer lives with her family on a beautiful property in the mountains, that was left to her by her father. Horses have always been her passion. She grew up on the books of Elyne Mitchell, and all her life she’s ridden and bred horses, in particular Australian Stock Horses. She has nine published novels. Brumby’s Run (Penguin 2012), Currawong Creek (Penguin 2013), Billabong Bend (Penguin 2014), Turtle Reef (Penguin 2015), Journey's End (Penguin 2016), Fortune's Son (Penguin 2017), The Lost Valley (Pilyara Press 2018), The Memory Tree (Pilyara Press 2019) and Wasp Season (Pilyara Press 2020)
Jennifer has always harboured a deep appreciation and respect for the natural world. Her house is on a hill-top, overlooking valleys of messmate and mountain ash. A pair of old eagles live there too. Black-shouldered wallabies graze by the creek. Eastern Spinebills hover among the callistemon. Jennifer lives with her family on a beautiful property in the mountains, that was left to her by her father. Horses have always been her passion. She grew up on the books of Elyne Mitchell, and all her life she’s ridden and bred horses, in particular Australian Stock Horses. She has nine published novels. Brumby’s Run (Penguin 2012), Currawong Creek (Penguin 2013), Billabong Bend (Penguin 2014), Turtle Reef (Penguin 2015), Journey's End (Penguin 2016), Fortune's Son (Penguin 2017), The Lost Valley (Pilyara Press 2018), The Memory Tree (Pilyara Press 2019) and Wasp Season (Pilyara Press 2020)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
February 28, 2025
3.5 ⭐️s
I listened to the audiobook via BorrowBox
Published by: Bolinda audio
Read by Eva Seymour
Duration: 9 hrs, 6 min. 1.25x Speed
I listened to the audiobook via BorrowBox
Published by: Bolinda audio
Read by Eva Seymour
Duration: 9 hrs, 6 min. 1.25x Speed
September 17, 2014
Bunyip River has always been a special place to, Nina Moore. Her love and passion for the area shows with all the hard work she puts in at Red Gums. Red Gums was left to, Nina after her parents retired from the property. Nina has her sights set on the neighbouring property of Billabong Bend. Nina has always wanted to buy Billabong Bend from her neighbour, Eva, but it seems she may not be the only one.
Nina's friend, Kate talks, Nina into attending the fancy dress ball on New Year's Eve. Everyone at the ball are wearing masks which can be taken off at midnight to reveal their identities. Nina recognises most of the guests by their voices, but there is one guest that has her baffled. Once the masks are removed, Nina can't believe that, Ricardo Bonelli is standing in the same room as her. Ric and Nina were childhood sweethearts and hadn't seen one another since they were fourteen. Could the feelings that they once had for one another still be there? With Ric a cotton farmer and Nina a floodplains grazier, Nina could see her dream expanding which now included, Ric. But as time passes, Nina soon discovers that her dream of Billabong Bend may torn away from her and not everything is as she first thought it was.
Will Nina and Ric be able to sort out their differences?
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I especially loved reading about the landscape and wildlife throughout this book. Whilst reading this book you can certainly see just how passionate author, Jennifer Scoullar is about the environment. The description of the wildlife and wetlands are truly beautiful and amazing. This was such an enjoyable read and one in which I have no hesitation in recommending.
Nina's friend, Kate talks, Nina into attending the fancy dress ball on New Year's Eve. Everyone at the ball are wearing masks which can be taken off at midnight to reveal their identities. Nina recognises most of the guests by their voices, but there is one guest that has her baffled. Once the masks are removed, Nina can't believe that, Ricardo Bonelli is standing in the same room as her. Ric and Nina were childhood sweethearts and hadn't seen one another since they were fourteen. Could the feelings that they once had for one another still be there? With Ric a cotton farmer and Nina a floodplains grazier, Nina could see her dream expanding which now included, Ric. But as time passes, Nina soon discovers that her dream of Billabong Bend may torn away from her and not everything is as she first thought it was.
Will Nina and Ric be able to sort out their differences?
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I especially loved reading about the landscape and wildlife throughout this book. Whilst reading this book you can certainly see just how passionate author, Jennifer Scoullar is about the environment. The description of the wildlife and wetlands are truly beautiful and amazing. This was such an enjoyable read and one in which I have no hesitation in recommending.
May 21, 2014
4.5★s
As Nina Moore manoeuvred her runabout, Pelican, through the marshlands, camera in hand, she was startled by the boom, boom of nearby gunshots. Horrified at finding a dead black swan floating in the water near a tinny holding two semi-drunk men, her rage at the senseless slaughter made the men wish they hadn’t ventured into this section of the Bunyip River. For Nina, the rare animals and birds that lived in the marshland of Billabong Bend were precious; she had grown up at Red Gums which bordered Billabong Bend, and her desire to buy the property from her elderly neighbour and good friend Eva was one she was desperate to fulfill – her protection of the habitat was a heartfelt wish; joining the two properties was her future.
With a fancy dress ball on in Moree on New Year’s Eve, Nina and her friend Kate were dressed to kill – the masks which Kate had made hid their identities until the stroke of midnight. Most of the guests Nina found she recognised by their voices – but there was one man who sent tingles down her spine; who was he? The sudden shock of discovering that Ricardo Bonelli, her old flame from school had returned home from Italy and was staying with Max, his father, next door to Red Gums sent confusion and long-forgotten feelings swirling through her head.
With Nina’s parents living in town, having retired from Red Gums and leaving the property to Nina, she worked hard day in and day out to keep her land healthy and rich. She was a floodplains grazier, and had just begun growing organic pecans. The non-stop drought was causing problems not only for her, but for many of the families further down the river and also on outlying properties. Now that Ric was home, she wondered if it would be possible for them both to share the same dream…
But things weren’t as they seemed…there were buried secrets, lies and conspiracies lurking. Then tragedy tore their lives apart once more – what would happen to Billabong Bend? Would Ric and Nina ever see eye to eye – whatever would the future hold?
Aussie author Jennifer Scoullar has a winner with this one! The beautiful description of the bush, its habitat and the Bunyip River and its environs was spectacular. I felt like I was there, wading along the muddy river’s edge, spotting the rare birds and witnessing Nina’s excitement when she found a bird which hadn’t been seen in the area for many years. I loved Sophie and her passion, and Nina’s mother was a delight; her strength of character shone through. All up, a great book which I thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy to read and review.
As Nina Moore manoeuvred her runabout, Pelican, through the marshlands, camera in hand, she was startled by the boom, boom of nearby gunshots. Horrified at finding a dead black swan floating in the water near a tinny holding two semi-drunk men, her rage at the senseless slaughter made the men wish they hadn’t ventured into this section of the Bunyip River. For Nina, the rare animals and birds that lived in the marshland of Billabong Bend were precious; she had grown up at Red Gums which bordered Billabong Bend, and her desire to buy the property from her elderly neighbour and good friend Eva was one she was desperate to fulfill – her protection of the habitat was a heartfelt wish; joining the two properties was her future.
With a fancy dress ball on in Moree on New Year’s Eve, Nina and her friend Kate were dressed to kill – the masks which Kate had made hid their identities until the stroke of midnight. Most of the guests Nina found she recognised by their voices – but there was one man who sent tingles down her spine; who was he? The sudden shock of discovering that Ricardo Bonelli, her old flame from school had returned home from Italy and was staying with Max, his father, next door to Red Gums sent confusion and long-forgotten feelings swirling through her head.
With Nina’s parents living in town, having retired from Red Gums and leaving the property to Nina, she worked hard day in and day out to keep her land healthy and rich. She was a floodplains grazier, and had just begun growing organic pecans. The non-stop drought was causing problems not only for her, but for many of the families further down the river and also on outlying properties. Now that Ric was home, she wondered if it would be possible for them both to share the same dream…
But things weren’t as they seemed…there were buried secrets, lies and conspiracies lurking. Then tragedy tore their lives apart once more – what would happen to Billabong Bend? Would Ric and Nina ever see eye to eye – whatever would the future hold?
Aussie author Jennifer Scoullar has a winner with this one! The beautiful description of the bush, its habitat and the Bunyip River and its environs was spectacular. I felt like I was there, wading along the muddy river’s edge, spotting the rare birds and witnessing Nina’s excitement when she found a bird which hadn’t been seen in the area for many years. I loved Sophie and her passion, and Nina’s mother was a delight; her strength of character shone through. All up, a great book which I thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy to read and review.
May 25, 2014
"The water was a floating carpet of vivid green, splashed with delicate purple flowers. This was worse than she thought. Water hyacinths were pretty, no doubt about it, but outside of their native Amazon they were also a curse, choking waterways. Somebody needed to clear out the weeds here. Somebody needed to clear out the poachers. Somebody needed to fix up the homestead."
Nina can build a fence or nurture a newly-hatched duckling just as easily as she can fly a plane. She is a farmer on Red Gums, her family homestead in the Murray-Darling basin of northern New South Wales. Her parents have moved to the local town to manage a feed store, so she's being managing the property on her own ever since. Nina's increasingly-distant boyfriend Lockie is away on his family property in Queensland.
While drought, cotton farms, water thieves, and poachers are devastating the wetlands environment, Nina is working to rehabilitate the rivers while establishing a sustainable organic farm. She has her eyes on the next door property, Billabong Bend, and when she sees a threatened painted snipe in the river there while hearing poacher gunfire in the distance, things start to escalate. She resolves to buy the property. The owner is her friend, an elderly woman in a nursing home, who is firmly resolved to never sell - but when she eventually does die, Nina knows that her heir will sell Billabong Bend off to the highest bidder, wetlands be damned.
Meanwhile, Nina's childhood love across the river returns from overseas with his nine-year-old daughter. Son of a cotton farmer, Ric has only recently discovered that he has a daughter, and Sophie initially rails against being dragged off to a farm with a near-stranger. Sophie's engagement with the natural world is slow but delicious, reminiscent of Storm Boy and The Snow Goose.
The book takes a firm, passionate, but not-too-preachy approach to the issue of environmental change and sustainability. It is a detailed, nuanced examination at the ways in which thoughtless human activities disrupt life's delicate balance, while also acknowledging and celebrating nature's resilience. There is also a gentle touch of animism/spirituality and a deep respect for the river's stories, pre-invasion as well as post-.
It is more a romance between Nina and the Billabong Bends wetlands than between Nina and her love interest. There is also a strong mystery storyline, so this novel should have wide appeal and deserves a wide readership.
Billabong Bend has a believable romance with authentic external obstacles, a villain with some complexity, an author who knows what she's talking about, and a competent heroine who goes after what she wants.
June 8, 2014
4.5 stars
I was lucky enough to discover Jennifer Scoullar's gorgeous writing in 2013 with Currawong Creek. This year it's Billabong Bend and I am crushing on the loveliness. Jennifer Scoullar's love of nature literally oozes from the pages, the beautiful descriptiveness puts you right there, soaking it all in.
The dawn chorus of birdsong and the smell of dew-damp leaves. The steam curling from the reedy river. The hushed expectancy and mysterious early landscape of shadow and light.
Cotton farming, water stealing and drought necessitate a different approach to farming and Nina is doing that and more with her property Red Gums in the Murray-Darling Basin region of NSW. She's a floodplains grazier, passionate about rehabilitation of the Bunyip River and her land and preserving the wetlands of neighbouring Billabong Bend as a wildlife sanctuary.
Ric returns to his father's cotton farm bringing with him the daughter he's only just met. Sophie is a precocious, endearing 9 year old. It was easy to understand the bond quickly forged with Nina over a mutual love of animals and a thirst for learning about nature whilst the connection between father and daughter was a little more challenging to establish.
Billabong Bend is a delicate balance of family dynamics, river stories, environmental issues and romance. The re-kindled relationship between Nina and Ric felt authentic, both the chemistry and the stumbling blocks to their happiness.
I love Jennifer Scoullar's passionate and respectful approach to the environment; rehabilitation, conservation and sustainability and it was impossible not to be caught up in Nina's love of all the species dependent on the wetlands.
There were so many tender, sigh-worthy moments that had me tearing up ... the rare magpie geese being taught to fly and Guddu's story being just two.
I'm not ready to say goodbye ... any chance of a sequel??
PS. with yet another beautiful story Jennifer Scoullar goes on my auto-buy list.
I was lucky enough to discover Jennifer Scoullar's gorgeous writing in 2013 with Currawong Creek. This year it's Billabong Bend and I am crushing on the loveliness. Jennifer Scoullar's love of nature literally oozes from the pages, the beautiful descriptiveness puts you right there, soaking it all in.
The dawn chorus of birdsong and the smell of dew-damp leaves. The steam curling from the reedy river. The hushed expectancy and mysterious early landscape of shadow and light.
Cotton farming, water stealing and drought necessitate a different approach to farming and Nina is doing that and more with her property Red Gums in the Murray-Darling Basin region of NSW. She's a floodplains grazier, passionate about rehabilitation of the Bunyip River and her land and preserving the wetlands of neighbouring Billabong Bend as a wildlife sanctuary.
Ric returns to his father's cotton farm bringing with him the daughter he's only just met. Sophie is a precocious, endearing 9 year old. It was easy to understand the bond quickly forged with Nina over a mutual love of animals and a thirst for learning about nature whilst the connection between father and daughter was a little more challenging to establish.
Billabong Bend is a delicate balance of family dynamics, river stories, environmental issues and romance. The re-kindled relationship between Nina and Ric felt authentic, both the chemistry and the stumbling blocks to their happiness.
I love Jennifer Scoullar's passionate and respectful approach to the environment; rehabilitation, conservation and sustainability and it was impossible not to be caught up in Nina's love of all the species dependent on the wetlands.
There were so many tender, sigh-worthy moments that had me tearing up ... the rare magpie geese being taught to fly and Guddu's story being just two.
I'm not ready to say goodbye ... any chance of a sequel??
PS. with yet another beautiful story Jennifer Scoullar goes on my auto-buy list.
January 8, 2015
I really enjoyed this book - although it has been categorised as "romance" (within our local library at least), I didn't think the romance aspect played a big part in the book and it was a refreshing change :)
The environmental messages were thought provoking as was the environmental cost of cotton farming. All-in-all a great read with a bit of romance, mystery and intrigue.
The environmental messages were thought provoking as was the environmental cost of cotton farming. All-in-all a great read with a bit of romance, mystery and intrigue.
May 29, 2014
Set amongst farming land in the Murray Darling Basin region of northern New South Wales, Billabong Bend is an wonderful novel of romance both on, and with, the land.
Fiercely protective of the river and wetlands that borders her property, Nina Moore's is determined to extend her sustainable agricultural and environmental rehabilitation practices on Red Gums to the neighbouring property, Billabong Bend, if only she can convince Eva, the elderly owner, to sell it to her. Nina is worried that if a cotton farmer, like Max Bonnelli, gets his hands on Billabong Bend, the entire marshlands ecosystem will suffer irreparable harm.
Nina's concerns are partly alleviated when, after a fifteen year absence, Max's son Ric returns to Donnalee. With the rekindling of their teenage romance, Nina is convinced Ric will be able to temper his father's greed but when tragedy strikes, Nina's dreams of rescuing Billabong Bend, and building a future with Ric, threaten to be swept away.
Conservation and environmental protection is a major theme of this novel. Scoullar's descriptions of the setting for Billabong Bend are evocative and vivid, from land scared by drought,
"The earth's living skin had peeled and cracked",
that nevertheless teems with life,
"Beneath her wheeled squadrons of pelicans and flocks of ibis. She flew lower. A startled white-bellied eagle took cover in a rare patch of weeping myall woodland. Lower again. Long-legged emus raced at breakneck speed through the swampy sedgeland. She could taste the vast, dry continent beneath her, hear the music of its river red gums, feel its clear, summer skies in her veins. Something prickled the back of her neck and a profound sense of excitement and joy coursed through her....Now this, she reminded herself. This was living."
From the opening scene, I liked and respected Nina for her passion about the land on which she lives and the unique habitat of the river, not dissimilar to the one that flows through the town I live in. I was interested by the information I learned about the wildlife, water use, and sustainable farming practices Nina engages in, and the threats to the health of the land over and above the devastation wrought by drought.
The romantic aspect of Billabong Bend is perhaps not as strong as I expected. I personally don't mind that the relationship between Nina and Ric is more a background element of the novel but those readers who prefer it as a focus, may be somewhat disappointed.
Reminiscent of the Australian classic Storm Boy by Colin Thiele, a truly delightful element of the story involves Ric's precocious daughter, Sophie, who hatches and raises a flock of a geese orphaned by Max, and teaches them to fly. The scene where the geese soar over Sophie racing on the quad bike is one of the many that will stay with me.
With appealing characters, a thought provoking storyline combining romance with a touch of mystery, and rich and resplendent setting, Billabong Bend is a captivating read, and one which I wouldn't hesitate to recommend.
September 26, 2017
*4.5 what a fabulous story. This has to be my favourite Jennifer Scoullar novel so far. Yet again I learnt so much about our beautiful country and its precious environment. The relationships between all the characters were all really well done, the mystery surrounding the tragedy was also well done and kept you wondering as well as keeping you reading. Water is such a precious commodity for everything in this country, it can be a blessing and a curse, we need to start making changes and protecting our environment our water. A fabulous story, highly recommended
August 28, 2014
* 4.5 stars
Billabong Bend is a beautifully written Australian rural romance novel, with an underlying environmental message from Author Jennifer Scoullar. The heroine of the story, Nina Moore, is deeply passionate about the marshlands of Bunyip River, in Northern NSW. Nina is so passionate that she sets about purchasing a piece of land called Billabong Bend, in the aim that she can preserve its natural beauty. As Nina fights for control of the land that is precious to her, life for Nina becomes complicated by the return of Ric, her childhood sweetheart, who is a neighbouring cotton farmer. As Nina and Ric begin to reignite their love for one another, complications arise when a tragic death occurs, which tests everything they both believe in.
Billabong Bend truly is a wonderful visual feast. The landscape literally bursts out the pages, aided by Scoullar’s seamless descriptions of the marshlands and the animals that inhabit the area. Scoullar clearly has a profound respect for nature and this book is important in bringing to the forefront current issues that are affecting our wetlands. These include drought, cotton farming, water restrictions and water poaching.
I loved the characters in this book, Nina in particular was a standout. Her enthusiasm for the environment was infectious and I admired her strong willed nature. I also felt a great deal of empathy towards to the characters of Ric and his daughter Sophie, as they learn to connect with each other after being unaware of each other’s existence until only recently. The romance part of this book worked well, I liked how the inclusion of the masquerade ball in the beginning chapters of the book added an air of initial passion and mystery to Nina and Ric’s relationship. A sense of realism is also brought into their relationship with the plot twists and tragic death that unfolds in the storyline. In all, passion for the environment is what makes this novel truly special, it is a wonderful read with a fine flowing storyline from start to finish.
Billabong Bend is a beautifully written Australian rural romance novel, with an underlying environmental message from Author Jennifer Scoullar. The heroine of the story, Nina Moore, is deeply passionate about the marshlands of Bunyip River, in Northern NSW. Nina is so passionate that she sets about purchasing a piece of land called Billabong Bend, in the aim that she can preserve its natural beauty. As Nina fights for control of the land that is precious to her, life for Nina becomes complicated by the return of Ric, her childhood sweetheart, who is a neighbouring cotton farmer. As Nina and Ric begin to reignite their love for one another, complications arise when a tragic death occurs, which tests everything they both believe in.
Billabong Bend truly is a wonderful visual feast. The landscape literally bursts out the pages, aided by Scoullar’s seamless descriptions of the marshlands and the animals that inhabit the area. Scoullar clearly has a profound respect for nature and this book is important in bringing to the forefront current issues that are affecting our wetlands. These include drought, cotton farming, water restrictions and water poaching.
I loved the characters in this book, Nina in particular was a standout. Her enthusiasm for the environment was infectious and I admired her strong willed nature. I also felt a great deal of empathy towards to the characters of Ric and his daughter Sophie, as they learn to connect with each other after being unaware of each other’s existence until only recently. The romance part of this book worked well, I liked how the inclusion of the masquerade ball in the beginning chapters of the book added an air of initial passion and mystery to Nina and Ric’s relationship. A sense of realism is also brought into their relationship with the plot twists and tragic death that unfolds in the storyline. In all, passion for the environment is what makes this novel truly special, it is a wonderful read with a fine flowing storyline from start to finish.
January 21, 2018
A sweet love story combining a love of nature with a commentary on inappropriate types of farming in the Australian countryside. Nina, our heroine, is conflicted throughout but stays true to her love of the land and her passion to rehabilitate it. A good read!!
June 17, 2014
My View:
Jennifer, If I was an artist I would be able to paint landscapes based on your words they are so visual!
This is the first book I have read that is written by Jennifer Scoullar and I can understand why her books are so popular; Jennifer’s love of the Australian bush and wildlife is obvious, her passion for conservation is contagious and her narrative flows easily and with characters that are empathetic and likeable.
I was intrigued by the voice of Freeman and his stories of the river – told so beautifully and meaningfully, I could listen to more. I learned more about Australian flora and fauna then I did in high school biology and absorbed it so much more easily than sitting in a classroom. Jennifer Scoullar has found a wonderful way to share her passions with the wider community in such an absorbing story that holds life lessons for all to learn. A relaxed and easy read, poetic and visual – beautifully written, the landscape vivid and alive.
Jennifer, If I was an artist I would be able to paint landscapes based on your words they are so visual!
This is the first book I have read that is written by Jennifer Scoullar and I can understand why her books are so popular; Jennifer’s love of the Australian bush and wildlife is obvious, her passion for conservation is contagious and her narrative flows easily and with characters that are empathetic and likeable.
I was intrigued by the voice of Freeman and his stories of the river – told so beautifully and meaningfully, I could listen to more. I learned more about Australian flora and fauna then I did in high school biology and absorbed it so much more easily than sitting in a classroom. Jennifer Scoullar has found a wonderful way to share her passions with the wider community in such an absorbing story that holds life lessons for all to learn. A relaxed and easy read, poetic and visual – beautifully written, the landscape vivid and alive.
January 20, 2015
A ecologically friendly quick read about the impact of farming on river life. Love the character of Eva - she is everyone's much loved Granny and the ideal matriarch of the story. Nina is a real warrior that is driven to achieve the best results for the river she loves so dearly. An interesting twist with the family feud between the Moore's and the Bonelli's that lives out through the next generation. Worth a read, will post it to the sister in law for her shelf!
March 13, 2015
Jennifer Scoullar enchanted me with her writing. I loved getting to know the characters and loved how the story flowed. I feel as if I have learned so much about the Australian outback through reading this. An awesome read. I will be reading her other books now too. :)
August 30, 2014
Loving this book! :-) Jennifer has certainly has done her homework on the Water Birds n Wetlands! Thank you Jennifer! :-)
January 17, 2015
Nice story. Did a good job of exploring contentious farming and environmental issues.
December 7, 2018
‘She knew that face. She’d known it all her life.’
Australian author Jennifer Scoullar has seven novels published in Australia: Wasp Season, Brumby’s Run, Currawong Creek, Billabong Bend, Turtle Reef, Journey's End, and Fortune's Son. Her passion for the outdoors and animals influences her writing. All her life she's ridden and bred horses, in particular Australian Stock Horses. She is considered by many to be one of Australia's favorite storytellers.
There is a flavor to Jennifer’s writing that cold only be ignited by knowing Australia – lyrical, pertinent to the flora and fauna, and a land lover’s perception of it. We meet Nina in just that sort of luxurious atmosphere – ‘Shotguns boomed and boomed again, shattering the morning peace of the marshlands, startling the roosting nankeen night heron into laboured flight. What on earth? Nina lowered her camera and steered the little runabout towards the gunshots. There, in the distance, past the bank of river red gums weeping in the heat – a tinny with two men in camo gear, weapons raised. A succession of deafening blasts echoed off the water, drowning out Nina’s air horn as she powered towards them. The stench of gunpowder reached her nose and rage rose in her throat like bile. Damn them. A mixed flock of wood ducks and teal were flapping away, well outside the fifty-metre range of an average shotgun. These men were the most incompetent poachers ever. As Nina drew near, they turned their heads at the blare of her horn. ‘This is private property,’ she yelled. ‘Get off my land!’ These wetlands belonged to her in spirit, just as she belonged to them. One man was fat, and swigged from a beer can. The other man was taller, older, with a bushy beard. He sneered and played with his gun. ‘You’ve got a mouth on you, sweetheart.’ A movement caught her eye, something dark floating in the water. The shadow took shape: a lifeless black swan. Nina uttered an anguished cry and slammed on the throttle. The man’s sneer turned to a look of alarm. He aimed high and pulled the trigger Birdshot exploded overhead as she closed in, but fury made her fearless. Pelican’s heavy hull rammed the tinny. Its impact launched the men, weapons and all, into the water where they floundered, gasping for air.’
Forming a romance from this beginning entices the first-time reader of Jennifer’s stories, the plot of which is as follows – ‘Can Nina protect the wild place she holds so close to her heart? Or will the man she once loved destroy it? For Nina Moore, the rare marshland flanking the beautiful Bunyip River is the most precious place on Earth. Her dream is to buy Billabong Bend and protect it forever, but she’s not the only one with designs on the land. When her childhood sweetheart, Ric Bonelli, returns home, old feelings are rekindled and Nina dares to dream of a future for them both on the river. But a tragic death divides loyalties and threatens to tear apart their fledgling relationship. This star-crossed rural romance sets Nina, a floodplains grazier, and Ric, a traditional cotton farmer, on a heart-rending collision course amid the beauty of northern New South Wales.’
Rich in color and sensitive to character development and all in an unmistakenly Australian mode, BILLABONG BEND is a fine introduction to the talents of Jennifer Scoullar. Recommended on every level.
Australian author Jennifer Scoullar has seven novels published in Australia: Wasp Season, Brumby’s Run, Currawong Creek, Billabong Bend, Turtle Reef, Journey's End, and Fortune's Son. Her passion for the outdoors and animals influences her writing. All her life she's ridden and bred horses, in particular Australian Stock Horses. She is considered by many to be one of Australia's favorite storytellers.
There is a flavor to Jennifer’s writing that cold only be ignited by knowing Australia – lyrical, pertinent to the flora and fauna, and a land lover’s perception of it. We meet Nina in just that sort of luxurious atmosphere – ‘Shotguns boomed and boomed again, shattering the morning peace of the marshlands, startling the roosting nankeen night heron into laboured flight. What on earth? Nina lowered her camera and steered the little runabout towards the gunshots. There, in the distance, past the bank of river red gums weeping in the heat – a tinny with two men in camo gear, weapons raised. A succession of deafening blasts echoed off the water, drowning out Nina’s air horn as she powered towards them. The stench of gunpowder reached her nose and rage rose in her throat like bile. Damn them. A mixed flock of wood ducks and teal were flapping away, well outside the fifty-metre range of an average shotgun. These men were the most incompetent poachers ever. As Nina drew near, they turned their heads at the blare of her horn. ‘This is private property,’ she yelled. ‘Get off my land!’ These wetlands belonged to her in spirit, just as she belonged to them. One man was fat, and swigged from a beer can. The other man was taller, older, with a bushy beard. He sneered and played with his gun. ‘You’ve got a mouth on you, sweetheart.’ A movement caught her eye, something dark floating in the water. The shadow took shape: a lifeless black swan. Nina uttered an anguished cry and slammed on the throttle. The man’s sneer turned to a look of alarm. He aimed high and pulled the trigger Birdshot exploded overhead as she closed in, but fury made her fearless. Pelican’s heavy hull rammed the tinny. Its impact launched the men, weapons and all, into the water where they floundered, gasping for air.’
Forming a romance from this beginning entices the first-time reader of Jennifer’s stories, the plot of which is as follows – ‘Can Nina protect the wild place she holds so close to her heart? Or will the man she once loved destroy it? For Nina Moore, the rare marshland flanking the beautiful Bunyip River is the most precious place on Earth. Her dream is to buy Billabong Bend and protect it forever, but she’s not the only one with designs on the land. When her childhood sweetheart, Ric Bonelli, returns home, old feelings are rekindled and Nina dares to dream of a future for them both on the river. But a tragic death divides loyalties and threatens to tear apart their fledgling relationship. This star-crossed rural romance sets Nina, a floodplains grazier, and Ric, a traditional cotton farmer, on a heart-rending collision course amid the beauty of northern New South Wales.’
Rich in color and sensitive to character development and all in an unmistakenly Australian mode, BILLABONG BEND is a fine introduction to the talents of Jennifer Scoullar. Recommended on every level.
June 11, 2014
Nina Moore loves her local area with a passion. The beautiful Bunyip River and the marshlands on its banks are home to some rare and wonderful wildlife and she wants to preserve and protect it all. As her parent’s only child, she has taken over their farm and is slowly turning it organic and away from some of the more harsher farming techniques and produce. But her real dream is to purchase Billabong Bend, a nearby property that has fallen into some disrepair since one of the owners died and the other went into hospital. Billabong Bend is a wildlife corridor and Nina would love to see it carefully managed so that it may flourish. However she knows that others have their eye on the property too, albeit for much different reasons to hers.
When her childhood sweetheart Ric Bonelli returns to the local area, it complicates Nina’s life. She and Ric haven’t seen each other since they were fourteen, meeting down by the river for stolen moments. Their fathers have been bitter enemies for a long time and Nina doesn’t care for the way Ric’s cotton farming father works the land. It’s in direct opposition to how she believes the area should be treated. Ric disappeared to Italy when his mother left his father but now he’s back – and with his young daughter in tow. It doesn’t take long for old feelings to rekindle, despite the fact that their families complicate things dramatically and that Nina is in a long-term relationship. Nina can see a future for herself, Ric and Ric’s daughter on the river, caring for the land and seeing the birds and wildlife flourish.
But then a tragic disappearance has Nina and Ric on opposite sides as they struggle to figure out what has happened. When Nina finds out that she may lose her beloved Billabong Bend to the one thing she cannot bear to see happen to it, cotton farming, she blames Ric for the betrayal. But has he jeopardised everything? Or can they put everything aside for one more chance at becoming a family and finding a sustainable and gentle way to work together?
Billabong Bend is the third novel from Jennifer Scoullar that I have read – they’re rural romances in a way but there’s a much deeper underlying message in each one. The author is quite clearly very passionate about the environment and conservation issues and this shines through in her work. In this novel set in northern New South Wales, most of the properties are close to a rare marshland flanking a river. Droughts and unsustainable farming as well as growing crops not entirely suited to the area (such as cotton) have led to problems with the water supply and farmers stooping so low as to “steal” more than their fair share of water. Nina is a ‘modern’ type of farmer – she’s passionate about the environment and protecting it and she puts it first, not the potential yield and money. She’s been switching to organic products and she’s keen to try new ventures such as pressing her own oil with a local co-op. She has dreams for what she can do with Billabong Bend and she’s been trying for years to get the evidence she needs of rare birds nesting there to prevent it from being destroyed.
I really enjoyed learning about the wildlife and Nina’s passion and enthusiasm was incredibly well portrayed, however the romantic aspect of this novel did fall a little flat for me. They haven’t seen each other in a long time and were only fourteen the last time they saw each other. I’d have liked more time with them getting to know each other and reestablishing that teenage connection and less time spent arguing and Nina flouncing off every time Ric did something she didn’t like or his father did something that she didn’t like. I understand that she’s passionate and that she feels very strongly about the environment but Ric had only just returned to the local area to reconnect with his father and introduce his father to his granddaughter. Punishing Ric for his father’s crimes and what his father was doing seemed very pointless to me and there was a bit of push-pull in the latter half of the novel where Nina feels betrayed and like it’s over or she never wants to see him again and then in the next chapter, they’re talking. I liked Nina, I liked Ric and I liked Ric’s headstrong daughter Sophie, who I think reacted to her situation the way most kids would… I especially liked the way that story line fully played out. However I definitely think that Nina and Ric’s relationship, so to speak, needed more work. For instance, Nina is actually in a relationship when Ric returns and it takes rather a long time for that to run its course and her boyfriend Lockie is a little inconsistent, character wise. He’s kind of an ass but then he’s not and then he is again but then he isn’t. It’s never quite explained why they’re in this relationship when both of them appear to be getting absolutely nothing out of it and they hardly even see each other.
As I mentioned, the conservation message is strong in this and that won’t be everyone’s cup of tea. I quite enjoyed that aspect of it, I think it taught me quite a lot. I’m a coastal girl, I don’t know much about farming and the different types and what sort of farming requires what sort of watering, etc. And I loved Nina – she’s a kick ass kind of girl, she’s not afraid to stand up for what she believes in and the scene where she runs off poachers/shooters in the beginning of the book is fabulous. I loved her bond with Sophie and how she takes the little girl under her wing in a way and attempts to give her some stability and some things to be excited about in her new life, which is not working out exactly the way Sophie planned. A little more devoted to the romance and this would’ve been a perfect read for me.
When her childhood sweetheart Ric Bonelli returns to the local area, it complicates Nina’s life. She and Ric haven’t seen each other since they were fourteen, meeting down by the river for stolen moments. Their fathers have been bitter enemies for a long time and Nina doesn’t care for the way Ric’s cotton farming father works the land. It’s in direct opposition to how she believes the area should be treated. Ric disappeared to Italy when his mother left his father but now he’s back – and with his young daughter in tow. It doesn’t take long for old feelings to rekindle, despite the fact that their families complicate things dramatically and that Nina is in a long-term relationship. Nina can see a future for herself, Ric and Ric’s daughter on the river, caring for the land and seeing the birds and wildlife flourish.
But then a tragic disappearance has Nina and Ric on opposite sides as they struggle to figure out what has happened. When Nina finds out that she may lose her beloved Billabong Bend to the one thing she cannot bear to see happen to it, cotton farming, she blames Ric for the betrayal. But has he jeopardised everything? Or can they put everything aside for one more chance at becoming a family and finding a sustainable and gentle way to work together?
Billabong Bend is the third novel from Jennifer Scoullar that I have read – they’re rural romances in a way but there’s a much deeper underlying message in each one. The author is quite clearly very passionate about the environment and conservation issues and this shines through in her work. In this novel set in northern New South Wales, most of the properties are close to a rare marshland flanking a river. Droughts and unsustainable farming as well as growing crops not entirely suited to the area (such as cotton) have led to problems with the water supply and farmers stooping so low as to “steal” more than their fair share of water. Nina is a ‘modern’ type of farmer – she’s passionate about the environment and protecting it and she puts it first, not the potential yield and money. She’s been switching to organic products and she’s keen to try new ventures such as pressing her own oil with a local co-op. She has dreams for what she can do with Billabong Bend and she’s been trying for years to get the evidence she needs of rare birds nesting there to prevent it from being destroyed.
I really enjoyed learning about the wildlife and Nina’s passion and enthusiasm was incredibly well portrayed, however the romantic aspect of this novel did fall a little flat for me. They haven’t seen each other in a long time and were only fourteen the last time they saw each other. I’d have liked more time with them getting to know each other and reestablishing that teenage connection and less time spent arguing and Nina flouncing off every time Ric did something she didn’t like or his father did something that she didn’t like. I understand that she’s passionate and that she feels very strongly about the environment but Ric had only just returned to the local area to reconnect with his father and introduce his father to his granddaughter. Punishing Ric for his father’s crimes and what his father was doing seemed very pointless to me and there was a bit of push-pull in the latter half of the novel where Nina feels betrayed and like it’s over or she never wants to see him again and then in the next chapter, they’re talking. I liked Nina, I liked Ric and I liked Ric’s headstrong daughter Sophie, who I think reacted to her situation the way most kids would… I especially liked the way that story line fully played out. However I definitely think that Nina and Ric’s relationship, so to speak, needed more work. For instance, Nina is actually in a relationship when Ric returns and it takes rather a long time for that to run its course and her boyfriend Lockie is a little inconsistent, character wise. He’s kind of an ass but then he’s not and then he is again but then he isn’t. It’s never quite explained why they’re in this relationship when both of them appear to be getting absolutely nothing out of it and they hardly even see each other.
As I mentioned, the conservation message is strong in this and that won’t be everyone’s cup of tea. I quite enjoyed that aspect of it, I think it taught me quite a lot. I’m a coastal girl, I don’t know much about farming and the different types and what sort of farming requires what sort of watering, etc. And I loved Nina – she’s a kick ass kind of girl, she’s not afraid to stand up for what she believes in and the scene where she runs off poachers/shooters in the beginning of the book is fabulous. I loved her bond with Sophie and how she takes the little girl under her wing in a way and attempts to give her some stability and some things to be excited about in her new life, which is not working out exactly the way Sophie planned. A little more devoted to the romance and this would’ve been a perfect read for me.
October 1, 2022
For Nina Moore, the rare marshland flanking the beautiful Bunyip River is the most precious place on Earth. Her dream is to buy Billabong Bend and protect it forever, but she’s not the only one with designs on the land.
When her childhood sweetheart, Ric Bonelli, returns home, old feelings are rekindled and Nina dares to dream of a future for them both on the river. But a tragic death divides loyalties and threatens to tear apart their fledgling relationship.
This star-crossed rural romance sets Nina, a floodplains grazier, and Ric, a traditional cotton farmer, on a heart-rending collision course amid the beauty of northern New South Wales.
When her childhood sweetheart, Ric Bonelli, returns home, old feelings are rekindled and Nina dares to dream of a future for them both on the river. But a tragic death divides loyalties and threatens to tear apart their fledgling relationship.
This star-crossed rural romance sets Nina, a floodplains grazier, and Ric, a traditional cotton farmer, on a heart-rending collision course amid the beauty of northern New South Wales.
January 25, 2021
Nina Moore has taken over her family property which borders onto the Bunyip River marshland area. She has always loved the beauty of the area and does everything she can to protect the area and the rare wildlife.
On the other side of the river is the Bonelli farm which grows cotton and is draining the drought-stricken marshland river area. Returning to the farm is Ric Bonelli, Nina's childhood sweetheart, who has returned with a daughter. The sparks are flying, and Nina dreams of a happy future together. An unexpected death changes things and Nina wonders where Ric's loyalties lie.
On the other side of the river is the Bonelli farm which grows cotton and is draining the drought-stricken marshland river area. Returning to the farm is Ric Bonelli, Nina's childhood sweetheart, who has returned with a daughter. The sparks are flying, and Nina dreams of a happy future together. An unexpected death changes things and Nina wonders where Ric's loyalties lie.
January 5, 2019
Love the story, wish the first part was better
Reading about the Outback of Australia and it's ecology is fascinating. The timing of this story is excellent. My only beef about the story is that the first half of this book is identical to book 2 of this series. Granted it is from the viewpoint of Dan rather than Nina, what is disappointing is seeing identical language in spite of the male viewpoint. As a result, the character development is stilted.
Reading about the Outback of Australia and it's ecology is fascinating. The timing of this story is excellent. My only beef about the story is that the first half of this book is identical to book 2 of this series. Granted it is from the viewpoint of Dan rather than Nina, what is disappointing is seeing identical language in spite of the male viewpoint. As a result, the character development is stilted.
December 8, 2018
I was loath to leave the river and wet lands. The book was nicely concluded but I would enjoy more. I have already downloaded another of her books
Excellent read. I felt like I was there. I read much of it on a flight from SF to Houston. I had flown alright frown Auckland. The hours of that flight fled by.
Excellent read. I felt like I was there. I read much of it on a flight from SF to Houston. I had flown alright frown Auckland. The hours of that flight fled by.
December 2, 2018
What I liked about the book is the deep and compact storyline. The plot is perfectly woven and the contents is well developed. The title is what attracted me at the first place. The portrayal of the scenes are captivating and I loved the book completely. Definitely recommendable. Thank you.
January 5, 2019
Billabong Bend (The Wild Australia Stories Book 3)
Another great read about my much !over Austra!ia, and about the people who are trying to preserve as much of the natural resourses, as possible!
Another great read about my much !over Austra!ia, and about the people who are trying to preserve as much of the natural resourses, as possible!
June 19, 2019
loved the book, have another favorite author to follow and buy when books come out. I find myself rooting for both the main character and the love interest to get past the issues and get together. where they belong!
August 22, 2025
A lovely story that looks at the issues surrounding our fragile ecosystems, cotton farming and the problems faced when too much water is taken from our river systems. A love story and a change of heart are an added bonus.
May 8, 2019
Exciting story
Loved the way the story sprang to life. Letting me see and feel as if I was right there. Wonderful read.
Loved the way the story sprang to life. Letting me see and feel as if I was right there. Wonderful read.
May 19, 2019
Great book!!!
So far I've read three books in this series and loved them all!!! Jennifer is a fantastic writer!! She really draws you into the story!!!!
So far I've read three books in this series and loved them all!!! Jennifer is a fantastic writer!! She really draws you into the story!!!!
December 19, 2019
Loved it, but...
Loved the story, but you don,t need to take the Lords name in vain for it to be a good book.
Loved the story, but you don,t need to take the Lords name in vain for it to be a good book.
October 8, 2025
I listened to the audiobook from Borrobox. well researched on wetlands, river systems, birds & drought effects for traditional farmers Vs alternative natural marshes.
June 30, 2014
Floodplain grazier Nina Moore lives in Red Gum, her childhood home, and she has her sights set on her neighbouring property Billabong Bend.
Returning to the family home of his traditional cotton farmer father Max Bonelli, after a fifteen year absence, Ric Bonelli has a few surprises of his own. Meeting his estranged father he hasn't seen in all that time is a shock and seeing him as he is now to what he remembered as a child has him reeling with the vastly different images.
Nina and Ric's re-acquaintance opens up old dormant feelings. However their reunion is anything but easy. Multiple challenges and restrictions stand in their way. Their characters face so many tests in the tenacious story that stretches their friendship to breaking point with so many devastating consequences and a disaster has them reunited with some shattering realisations that will shock them both.
What a tangled web in parts of the story but a book well worth the read. The characters of Billabong Bend were tough, courageous and strong willed throughout and focused on their own goals. Character history was immense and it shone through the pages of the book. The Author did a good job with the character interactions and challenges within the story. Billabong Bend by Jennifer Scoullar had many twists and turns with some mystery thrown in the mix. An enjoyable read from the start of the book till the finish.
4 Stars
*ARC Received from the Publisher for an honest review
Returning to the family home of his traditional cotton farmer father Max Bonelli, after a fifteen year absence, Ric Bonelli has a few surprises of his own. Meeting his estranged father he hasn't seen in all that time is a shock and seeing him as he is now to what he remembered as a child has him reeling with the vastly different images.
Nina and Ric's re-acquaintance opens up old dormant feelings. However their reunion is anything but easy. Multiple challenges and restrictions stand in their way. Their characters face so many tests in the tenacious story that stretches their friendship to breaking point with so many devastating consequences and a disaster has them reunited with some shattering realisations that will shock them both.
What a tangled web in parts of the story but a book well worth the read. The characters of Billabong Bend were tough, courageous and strong willed throughout and focused on their own goals. Character history was immense and it shone through the pages of the book. The Author did a good job with the character interactions and challenges within the story. Billabong Bend by Jennifer Scoullar had many twists and turns with some mystery thrown in the mix. An enjoyable read from the start of the book till the finish.
4 Stars
*ARC Received from the Publisher for an honest review
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