Pre-order now to uncover the secrets of Black Wattle—and receive your copy before the release date!
'Black Wattle is a hauntingly beautiful story about family, identity, and the threads of the past that bind us.'
When Alice tells a terrible lie in 1924, she believes it will free her from the weight of history—but some stories can’t be buried. Decades later, Jarrah is left to unravel the mystery and confront the secrets that shaped her family.
This is a story of silence, survival, and the search for belonging across generations
'This is a beautifully written, well researched story detailing the immensely difficult struggles faced by the group settlers of 20th Century Western Australia. Joanne artfully weaves the past in to the present as she examines the ripple effects upon their descendants' lives. '
Barbara Maher, Bridgetown Historical Society
Black Wattle will be in book stores from August. Late July Bridgetown residents can purchase their copy from the Information Centre (in the beautifully restored Railway Station).
The Book Launch and Morning Tea is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, 13th August, at 10 a.m. at the Bridgetown Library, where a traditional morning tea will be served. All are welcome to attend.
The Old Settlement Museum in Margaret River are the first group to stock copies of Black Wattle. Available now.
When is a secret a lie?
Hello and thanks for visiting.
Black Wattle transports readers to 1924, where Alice, fleeing a troubled past, reinvents herself. Decades later, her granddaughter Jarrah begins to unravel the mystery.
I’ve wanted to write the story of Group Settlement in Western Australia for a very long time. I can reveal to you that it is a period novel and deals with romance and deception, emigration and identity.
In this work, I combine true historical events with fictional characters. The places are real, and my descriptions accurately reflect them. My story is set in Western Australia and England, spanning from 1909 to 2020..
Preorder your copy of Black Wattle from Hawkeye books.
I grew up on a sheep farm at Warner Glen, near Margaret River. My paternal grandparents were some of the first to settle land as part of the Group Settlement Scheme. The idea for Black Wattle originated from the experience of Alice and William Patmore.
Retirement has given me the time and space to pursue creative writing.
The West Australian newspaper longlisted my short story, Savage Daughter, in The Great Australian Yarn competition in 2024. (From 6,000 entries.)
In this story, a boisterous schoolgirl learns a valuable life lesson after cheating in a creative writing competition.
You can find the link to my story below.