Australia in the early years of settlement and the beginning of that white flood that was to engulf traditional Aboriginal life.
The setting is Parramatta, fifteen miles west of Sydney - focus for Governor Macquarie's well meaning but futile attempts at integrating the Aborigines, and the tragedy of cultures that were incompatible.
'The First Wave traces the lives of two boys growing up in Parramatta.
Toby Redmond, an Aboriginal boy adopted by white settlers, is torn between two cultures, whilst John Batman, a 'Currency lad', struggles to overcome the stigma of his father's convict past.
This well researched novel presents a vivid portrayal of white society and the major historical figures of the time, and also gives a fascinating insight into the world of the original inhabitants of the area - the black people of Eora.