39 Books Set in + About Australia

Decades after a mysterious murder in South Australia, Jess returns home to her grandmother who is seriously ill. And then she discovers a book about that 1959 murder that was never solved, and realizes there could be a connection with her own family. For fans of family stories and mysteries.

Although the TV adaptation of this book takes place in California, the original story is set in Australia. In a wealthy school community, the lives of three very different women become intertwined as events build to someone’s death. This is one of those books where you know at the beginning something bad is going to happen, and then you spend time seeing how the events lead to the main event (in this case a death). For fans of domestic suspense.

When Federal Agent Aaron Falk returns to his hometown for his best friend Luke’s funeral, secrets come out. Years ago, Aaron was suspected of murder and Luke was his alibi. But now someone knows they were lying. For fans of mysteries and suspense.

When Ky Tran’s brother is murdered at a busy restaurant in a Sydney suburb, the police can’t seem to solve it. So Ky takes the case on herself, determined to find out what happened and uncovering layers of racism and violence in the past that have led to her present moment. For fans of mysteries and suspense.

When Don Tillman sets out on a project to find a wife, he knows it will definitely *not* be Rosie because she doesn’t meet any of his qualifications. But he does become wrapped up in her life as she seeks to find her biological father. I really enjoyed this book. It’s a cute story about love and neurodivergence and friendship. For fans of rom-coms.

Set in Sydney, Samira’s parents are determined to find an arranged match for her. But she hasn’t really been interested. Her life is busy enough with her job at a bridal magazine and her own cousin’s wedding. But then she finds herself falling for someone at a work retreat. And her best friend from childhood might be showing some interest in her. For fans of rom-coms.

When Akita and her family immigrate from Sudan to Australia, her family life feels like it is falling apart. Even though they move to a community to be closer to relatives, Akita and her mother (the book is told from both their perspectives) experience racism and struggle in their new home. But their resilient spirits can pull them through. For fans of coming of age stories.

Set at a nursing home in Sydney, this book is full of a diverse cast of characters, many of them with difficult histories. They’ve made a peaceful home for themselves at Cinnamon Gardens, but racism and division in Australian society threaten their existence. And be aware that despite the warm cover and cute title, many readers say this book has a lot of heavy content. For fans of contemporary fiction and books about the power of stories.

Set in Perth, two families try to find new hope and a new kind of life. The Lambs and Pickleses are about as different as you can get, but they find themselves living in the same house and forming unexpected bonds. For fans of literary fiction and family sagas.

After her grandfather dies in Australia, August returns home for the funeral. But there she learns that her community’s Indigenous land is going to be repossessed by a mining company and she takes up the fight to save it. This novel is told from three perspectives, and is all about home, family, and Indigenous culture. For fans of literary fiction.

In Southwest Australia, a farm owner invites a group of Noongar people to visit, hoping to redeem his land where a Noongar massacre had taken place. But as the people reconnect with the land and tradition, it’s also not going to be easy to forget the past. For fans of literary fiction and experimental style.

After college, a woman in Sydney starts a job as a 911 operator. But the stress of listening to other people’s crises starts to blur with the stress of her own life and increase her anxiety. And all of this is juxtaposed with reflection on the climate crisis. For fans of literary fiction (and lots of content warnings for this one).

This book of short stories from an Aboriginal author tells stories about colonialism, racism, and life across Australia for Indigenous Australians. It’s been short-listed for a slew of prizes, and is from the small press Two Dollar Radio. For fans of literary fiction and short stories.

Kerry Salter is a queer Indigenous Australian woman who is a rebel. When her grandfather is on his deathbed, she goes home on a stolen motorcycle. She doesn’t plan to stay long, but then she learns about family drama and new plans their sacred land and feels the tug to stay. For fans of contemporary literary fiction and queer stories.

In this short novel (it’s less than 150 pages), a family from 1970s New York moves to a fancy house in Sydney. And there, Alice, the mother, has to figure out how to live in a new country and in a new society. For fans of literary fiction.

Set in 1980s Melbourne, this novel is about the Fox family and their mostly happy and quotidian life. But when a old friend from her husband’s past shows up, Athena starts to wonder if her life could be different. For fans of family stories.

In this novel about the history of Australia, William Thornhill works in London and a mistake sentences him to be moved to New South Wales in Australia. This books shows the history of Australia as a colony of prisoners and their conflict and views of the Aboriginal people. It also was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize. For fans of historical fiction and literary fiction.

During WWII, Rose takes on the job of accompanying and orphan boy from England back to his mother’s family in Australia. But once she’s there, the family has secrets that will be uncovered, and Rose’s plans for the future start to change too as she starts to fall for the boy’s uncle (despite having a fiancé back in England). For fans of historical fiction with some romance.

This 1979 book has become somewhat of a modern classic and still attracts lots of readers. It’s family epic recounting the story three generations of the Cleary family, who are cattle farmers in rural Australia. It’s main storyline though is about Meggie and the local priest. For fans of multi-generational family sagas.

This book is a classic Australian novel. It’s about a group of boarding school girls who go on a picnic, only some of them don’t return and no one knows what happened. As the investigation is underway, the book really focuses on the inner-lives and emotional turmoil of the girls who did return and the questions they are left with. If you like tidy endings though, this one might not be for you. For fans of dark academia and classic novels.

In this beloved book about traveling through Australia, Bryson brings his humor to his travels across the continent. This is a great way to learn about the culture, history, and places of Australia in an entertaining way. For fans of travel memoir.

In this memoir, Davidson tells the story of her solo journey across the Outback with only a few camels and dog for company. Of course she faces lots of challenges (the Outback can be a dangerous place, after all). And this is perfect for readers who love women’s adventure stories and personal journeys (think Cheryl Strayed’s Wild).

If you’re interested in history, than you might like this book about the first European settlers in Australia and how the colony was founded. This book is a few decades old, so know that going in. For fans of history.

In this collection, over 40 people explain what life has been like for them being disabled or chronically ill in Australia. And it’s not just essays; the collection also includes poetry and graphic art. For fans of health and social sciences.

In the blurb for this book it says that 86% of Australians live in the city, despite the fact that the country is known for it’s incredible nature. In this memoir, Dunn explores how she can incorporate more nature into her city life in Melbourne. For fans of memoirs and nature writing.

In this book by Australian writer Benjamin Law, he recounts his family life with laugh-out-loud humor. His Chinese family is funny and quirky and Law looks at it all with loving laughter. For fans of memoirs and humor.

In this funny book, a wombat makes diary entries about his day, which are mostly filled with eating and sleeping and digging. But there’s also a new family of humans around he needs to train. Recommended ages: 2-6 years.

This book takes basic shapes and shows how they are found in Australian landscapes through Aboriginal-style art. It’s a beautiful book with simple text that gives readers an idea of some of the things they could find in Australia (things from skyscrapers to termite hills). Recommended ages: 3-5 years.

Everyone loves Koala Lou, but her mother loves her most of all. But when a new baby is on the way, Koala Lou worries her mother may love the new baby more. Recommended ages: 3-6 years.

Set during the 2019-2020 Australian wildfires, this book centers on a wombat and how his underground home created a safe space for other animals. Recommended ages: 4-8 years (although sensitive animal-loving readers may find some of it worrying.)

In this book, main character Grace sets out to travel around Australia in a camper with her family. It’s a great slice-of-life kind of book that also shows off the major regions and sights of Australia. Recommended ages: 5-9 years.

This classic of Australian children’s literature tells the story of a sly dingo who has caught a wombat and wants to make wombat stew. The other animals give him advice, all sneakily trying to actually help wombat. Recommended ages: 5-10 years.

This book celebrates Australia’s Yarra River and follows it from end to end, showing the animals and people that call it home. The illustrations are beautiful too! Recommended ages: 6-9 years.

This is a classic of Australian children’s literature. It’s about Storm Boy and his friendship with a pelican he rescues, Mr. Percival. They become essentially linked to one another, and Mr. Percival learns how to help people and animals in need. But I feel like I should warn you here: the ending will likely cause tears. Recommended ages: 9-12 years.

George’s life has a lot going on. Her dad comes back into her life with secrets from the past and her best friend is about to become a teen mom. And then there’s the stress of the climate, made more real by the wildfires that begin to ravage Australia. Recommended ages: 14 and up.

In this YA novel about two Aboriginal boys, Jackson’s aunt and cousins come to visit and bring along another boy. Jackson has never come to term with being gay, and his feelings for this other boy cause him to confront his secret. Recommended ages: 14 and up.