About the Author

Michael Chambers arrived by boat from New Zealand in 1969 and first worked as a jackaroo on the outback NSW station Mount Manara. His experiences over the next few years provided the background for the Tom Duncan adventure stories in his earlier books.

A fight with a Brahman bull in western Queensland—which he decisively lost—led to a new career with BHP merchandising companies in NSW. In 1989, he packed his wife, five kids, and a dog into a truck and van and headed for the Northern Territory, where he served as State Operations Manager.

A lifetime love of Aboriginal people culminated in a four-year relationship with the Yolgnu people of Arnhem Land, including taking a group of thirty Elcho Islanders on a memorable trip to Egypt and Israel. For fifteen years, he owned and ran the iconic NT fishing and camping shops, HAPPY MICKS OUTDOOR TERRITORY—the name chosen by kids from the island. He was also a successful internet entrepreneur in the early years of the century.

In 2010, the family moved to Mildura on the picturesque Murray River. Michael and his wife Aileen both retired at age seventy—she from over twenty-five years in aged and palliative care, he from a long stint in retail. Together they've raised five children and now enjoy eleven grandchildren.

Drawing from decades of diverse experiences across Australia's landscapes and cultures, Michael writes most days, bringing a unique perspective to life's biggest questions.