oneworldtalk

orange blossom · Joined: 20 Mar 2007 Posts: 1238 Location: Australia

For the early settlers of Australia, the hostile environment and little arable land, spelt a country that could destroy humankind. The aboriginal people had learnt to manage and live in the harsh environment and hard times. Many explorers met their deaths exploring the vast territory especially when crossing the dry desert country.

Battlers

Pioneers had to survive harsh conditions of droughts and floods. Even under good weather conditions, farmers were vulnerable to fluctuation in prices for wheat and wool. Going broke and starting from scratch was a common experience of the early settlers. People soldier on and that was how the term a "battler" came about. A battler is one who survives; even if they do not prosper, they are admired.

Mateship

The tradition of helping each other out owes a lot to the harshness of the country. This sense of mutual help was strong among the working men who travelled through the outback for work in shearing or droving. This soon became the practice for settlers to help each other out in difficulty. One example is volunteer fire fighters.

In tough times, remembering the spirit of our pioneers would help to boost one's confidence and morale.