Steele Rudd

On Our Selection

"On Our Selection" by Steele Rudd is a collection of stories published in 1899. Set in the Australian bush, these sketches follow the Rudd family—including the memorable Dad and Dave—as they struggle to establish a farm on crown land. Through hardships, small triumphs, and daily challenges, the stories capture the lives of pioneering selectors facing poverty, conflict with squatters, and the unforgiving realities of rural life. This truthful portrayal of Australian settler experience became wildly popular, selling over 250,000 copies and inspiring numerous stage and film adaptations.