Several books inspired and informed the writing of this novel, including Engaging the Giants. A history of sawmill and tramways of Tasmania’s southern forests (Scott Clennett); Following their Footsteps: Exploring Adventure Bay (ed. C.D. Turnbull); A Short History of Tasmania (Lloyd Robson); Voyages to the Southern Seas (Danielle Clode); Into the Woods (Anna Krien); Tasmania’s Recherche Bay (Bob Brown); A History of Tasmania (Henry Reynolds); Into that Forest (Louis Nowra); In Tasmania (Nicholas Shakespeare); and The Forgotten Islands: One man’s journey into a truly gothic Australia (Mike Veitch).

Many other friends have supported me during the writing of this book, including Cindy Trewin, Alex Sloan, Jane Hodder, Marion Halligan, John Stokes, Kaaron Warren, Sarah Mason, Nigel Featherstone, Dan O’Malley, Sulari Gentill, Karly Lane, Kelli-anne Bertram, Craig Cormick, Jack Heath, Sarah Coleman, Heather Scott-Gagan, Alice Kenney, Sara Toscan, Jill Petherbridge, Sarah Toohey, Stella Clarke, Arianne Lowe, Deb Williams, Fiona Starr, Charlie Webb, Jess Winsall, Lynda Newman, Jeanne O’Malley, Denise Kraus, Felicity Sander, Emma and Mark Tahmindjis, Marina Tyndale-Biscoe and Lynne Whitehead. I thank you for your friendship and patience, for listening to me and for encouraging me.

Thanks also to my Facebook and Twitter friends for all your conversations and comments, and for distracting me when I needed to be distracted (and sometimes when I didn’t).

For proofreading and helpful suggestions I thank Marjorie Lindenmayer and Jim Viggers.

A major leap forward for this novel came about due to the incredible perceptiveness and understanding of my sister, Fiona Andersen, who read earlier drafts and tactfully pointed out what was going wrong and gave illuminating suggestions.

Above all, for endless patience, love and encouragement, I thank my family: David, Nina and Ryan. David read the manuscript more times than anyone should, and picked up my pieces when they were shattered; I owe a great debt to him. Nina and Ryan have journeyed through this book every step of the way, even though they may not have realised it at times. Their humour and humanity kept me in touch with the world.