Kangaroos in the Kitchen

This book is about amazing people living and working in an amazing environment. The Outback of Australia has long been the source of stories of adventures, hardships and of course great successes that have built character and empires alike. There is a blend here of enterprise in the mining and cattle industries, interwoven with tourism, hospitality, humour and a love of animals all under the umbrella of adventure. It is a salute to those special people who possess that quiet soft strength and toughness so necessary for life in the Outback.

Born in Melbourne Australia, John's family moved to Rural Australia when he was 4 years old. His childhood days of freedom and country life were responsible for developing a love of animals, the quality-of-life small communities provide and the enjoyment of great stories about real people. The philosophy of the time to "Get a good secure job and wait for retirement" never sat well with John, who broke away from normality, choosing his own path of life experiences both in Australia and overseas. His writing career began soon after arriving in his new homeland, New Zealand. Working with a rural supplies co-operative John was asked to "Write a few words" for a column on all things rural in a popular monthly rural newspaper. Writing those "few words for the column" lasted 15 years.