Born on a poor dairy farm in Queensland, Frank Harland's life is centred on his great artistic gift, his passionate love for his father and four brothers and his need to repossess, through a patch of land, his family's past. The story spans Frank's life; from before the First World War, through years as a swaggie in the Great Depression and Brisbane in the forties, to his retirement to a patch of Australian scrub where he at last takes possession of his dream.
Harland's Half Acre tells how a man sets out to recover the land his ancestors discovered and then lost and how, in fulfilment, this vision becomes a new reality.

Donated to the little free library in Narrabundah, ACT. Thank you.

This story begins about a poverty-stricken family living on a dairy farm in Queensland. There are several boys in the family and one nurtures his artistic genius, and paints on anything he can find, paper, card board,and painting boards when he can afford them. He met an wealthy family whose roots stretch back to England. Alan kept up his painting and lived in what accommodation he could afford. He often forgot to eat and became very thin. He finished up living in a tent on the beach. Fortunately some teenage boys and girls used to come to the beach often, and brought food and other things for him to use. He was found one day very ill and had had a bad fall. His 2 brothers were very concerned and called an Ambulance, but sadly he died on the way. They collected all his paintings to sell, and found some were very valuable.