Book Details

The River

A Journey through the Murray-Darling Basin

Chris Hammer

The River looks past the daily news reports and their sterile statistics, revealing the true impact of our rivers’ decline.

Awards

Shortlisted for the 2011 Manning Clark House National Cultural Award

Opinion

'…a moving and sadly accurate description of Australia's greatest river system.'
Bruce Elder, The Age, 06/03/10

'Timely and revealing, The River is… an immensely readable travelogue, reveling in the rich heritage and character of the Australian bush. . .'
Richard Bilkey, The Australian Bookseller & Publisher, March 2010

About this Title

Australia's major river system is collapsing. Parts of it are dying; parts of it are already dead. Australia's most significant river no longer reaches the sea … I look out into the dim autumn light and wonder once again how it has come to this …

In The River, Chris Hammer takes us on a journey through Australia's heartland, following the rivers of the Murray-Darling Basin, recounting his experiences, his impressions, and, above all, stories of the people he meets along the way. It's a journey punctuated with laughter, sadness and reflection.

The River looks past the daily news reports and their sterile statistics, revealing the true impact of our rivers' decline on the people who live along their shores, and on the country as a whole. It's a tale that leaves the reader with a lingering sense of nostalgia for an Australia that may be fading away forever.

About the Author

Chris Hammer has been a journalist for twenty-five years. He has been an international correspondent for SBS TV's flagship current affairs program Dateline, the chief political correspondent for The Bulletin and a senior political journalist for The Age.

Book Preview

978-0-522-85736-8